


Hope is the thing with Feathers

by JJCross



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Angel/Demon AU, But mostly angst, Consensual Underage Sex, Dark, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Violence, Religious Conflict, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Spirits, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-01
Updated: 2017-02-24
Packaged: 2018-07-28 14:35:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 31,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7644787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JJCross/pseuds/JJCross
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Danny is half angel, unsure of anything other than the fact that spirits and demons all want to rip the feathers from his wings. One demon in particular, a powerful half-demon, seems to have a personal desire to see the young angel turn dark and corrupted...</p><p>"The function of the wing is to take something heavy and raise it up." -Plato</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> "Hope is the thing with feathers  
> That perches in the soul,  
> And sings the tune without words,  
> And never stops at all."  
> -Emily Dickenson

“God damn it.”

“Watch yourself Danny, not sure you’re allowed to swear like that anymore.”

“Oh haha, Sam,” Danny deadpanned, carefully folding his wings closer to his body. Spreading them completely in the small space of the lab had clearly been a mistake, judging by the broken bottles on the floor currently oozing some sort of green unknown substance.

“Not sure if angels are allowed to swear at all,” Tucker pointed out. “Except maybe Michael(1), he seemed like a guy that did what he wants. I mean who’s gonna to argue with an angel warrior that fights with a flaming sword.”

“So if I had a flaming sword, could I say fuck as much as I wanted?” Danny asked with a smirk, silently thinking that having a sword made of fire would actually be really cool. It would at least make fending off the demons and spirits a whole lot easier.

“How do they feel? You got hit pretty badly today,” Sam asked, coming over and standing behind Danny, inspecting the large white feathered wings coming from Danny’s shoulder blades. When spread wide, they reached roughly 12 feet from tip to tip combined. Danny’s hair was white as well, soft and snowy, his eyes glowing a bright green as his whole body seemed to have a gentle light around it.

“They feel fine. I think it takes a lot to actually hurt them,” Danny commented, flexing them carefully before folding them neatly behind him. He closed his eyes and pulled the light inside, to the center of his chest. He felt the wings retreat into his back, felt the weightless feeling disappear until he was flesh and blood again. He opened his eyes, flexing his hand before looking behind him. No wings. He looked back at his friends, noticing the tips of his black fringe in front of his now blue eyes. Human.

“That’s still really freaky,” Tucker commented, eyes wide.

“Tell me about it,” Danny murmured.

“I think it’s amazing,” Sam said genuinely, standing close to Danny and giving him a gentle nudge with her shoulder. “You’re an _angel—”_

 _“Half_ angel.”

“Still, how cool is that? You can fly and shoot light beams and fight demons—“

“Well I mean, if you can call all that wobbly and misfiring flying and fighting,” Tucker joked, Danny shooting him a glare.

“I guess. I mean it is cool, but it’s also kind of scary,” Danny said, dark eyebrows knitting together. “I’ve been like this for a little over a month now and I still don’t know what it means. I don’t know why I’m like this, or even how it really happened. The only reason I know for certain that I’m even an angel and not some mutant is because the spirits all call me Angel-boy. But I mean, come on, how trust worthy are spirits, really?”

Sam’s expression grew somber, and Danny knew she was recalling the night this all happened. He didn’t mean to make her feel bad, he didn’t blame her in the least, but he knew Sam felt at least partly responsible for what happened. That was most likely why she tried to always rationalize that this was “cool” and “for Danny’s benefit”.

A little more than a month ago, during their short break from school in March, Sam had decided she wanted to explore the Fenton’s lab. Danny’s parents didn’t let him or Jasmine down there, saying it was their work place, not a hangout. They said it was dangerous down there.

Everyone in Amity Park, much to Danny and Jasmine’s dismay, knew the adult Fenton’s as the nutcases-that-liked-the-occult. They hunted ghosts, studied demonology, interviewed mediums, openly discussed the differences between spirits and specters to anyone willing (or unwilling) to listen, and generally embarrassed the hell out of Danny, who was just trying to get through high school without being too much of an outcast.

Sam, Amity Park’s self-proclaimed Goth, was of course nearly drooling at the mouth to see what kind of weird and supernatural things Danny’s parents had hidden away in their lab. Danny was weak to any girl batting her eyelashes and pouting lightly; Sam knew this well, and took full advantage. That week, while Jack and Maddie had been out at a Supernatural Convention (which they would later find out was about some show on television and not actually about the occult), Danny, Tucker and Sam all snuck down into the Fenton’s lab.

It was large. The ceiling was high and cement, pipes and wires showing from when this previously used to be an ordinary basement. Shelves lined the walls, stacked with thick and thin books of all kinds of subjects, from science and math, to magic and myths. The tables were covered in bottles of chemicals and substances, some labeled, some one could only guess. Pendants and charms and crystals sat around the table, loose leaf papers scribbled with all kinds of notes and findings scattered everywhere.

Sam looked like she’d just stepped into a gothic version of heaven, her purple eyes wide, taking in everything. She looked through the books, taking out some and skimming through them before carefully putting them back. She eyed the charms and bottles, while Tucker and Danny stood awkwardly, afraid to touch anything for fear of being cursed. Sam had laughed at them, wandering around until she noticed a large hole in the wall, outlined by metal and markings.

“What’s this?” Sam had asked, running black nailed fingers over the markings.

Danny came a little closer, blue eyes cautiously taking in the work of his parents. “Not sure. I never come down here, or really listen to what they say over dinner.”

“I think they’re trying to open a portal…like to Hell or the spirit world, or something,” Tucker said from behind them. Danny glanced over, seeing Tucker holding up a paper and book. Danny came closer, looking over the notes of this strange device.

“That’s insane,” Sam breathed, eyes glistening. Her hands followed the metal down to a small latch at the side. She smiled. “Maybe it works…”

She flipped the latch, a small charge buzzing and humming but nothing magical happened. Sam’s shoulders sagged and she took a step inside.

Danny looked away from the books he and Tucker were looking at to understand the invention, noticing Sam walking into the portal. “Hey, Sam!” His eyes noticed the weird markings glowing, noticed the charge going through the machine, heard the buzzing and humming growing louder. “Sam!” He charged forward, into the portal, pushing Sam out just as it went off, just as pain coursed through his body, light surrounded him, brilliant and blinding and then everything went still…

 

Danny shook his head of the memory, shivering. It had felt like he died. He remembered the light turning warm and soft. He remembered he felt like he was floating. Then suddenly there was pain again and he heard screaming, which he eventually found out was Sam.

He had crawled out of the portal, alive, partly, it seemed. He had white hair, green eyes…and wings. Huge white feathery wings, just like the angels in painting.

Danny walked over to the portal now, which was closed. But that night, whatever had happened, the portal had worked. Demons and spirits had somehow escaped from this thing, filling Amity Park and terrorizing its citizens. Including Danny.

“Maybe you should talk to your parents,” Sam said quietly. Danny didn’t turn around, his fingers tracing the markings, runes apparently, though despite hours spent online and at the library, Danny had still not been able to figure out what they meant. Jack and Maddie had found them in a book, but the book hadn’t been specific on their meaning. None of them said anything about angels.

“You know I can’t,” Danny said quietly. “They don’t believe in religion. They’ll think I’m a monster and want to experiment on me. You see how they get with the demons, how they nearly froth at the mouth at just the _idea_ of capturing one to cut it open. If they found out one of them was living under their own roof…”

“You’re _not_ one of them though, Danny; you’re an angel. Not a demon,” Sam said, coming to stand beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“Yeah man, you said it yourself. Even the demons know that you’re not one of them.”

“Yeah. Maybe. I don’t know anything for sure though,” Danny said with a sigh.

He shivered and a mist of white came from his lips. He looked upwards. Sam and Tucker looked too.

“Maybe you can just ignore it for now,” Tucker suggested carefully, worry in his eyes. “I mean, it could just be a little demon. No need to go finding trouble.”

Another small puff of white burst from Danny’s mouth, signaling more spiritual presence. “Or it could be a troublesome ghost. I can’t let it run amuck either way.”

Danny hurried upstairs, followed by Sam and Tucker. Up in the house, they hurried to the door, pulling it open to see a familiar evil spirit causing trouble, along with his shadowy demon familiar. “Johnny,” Danny growled.

He remembered when he’d first ran into this spirit a couple weeks ago, when Johnny had tried to possess his sister. Danny hated anyone that tried to mess with his family.

Making sure no one was around, Danny let out a sigh and let the light flood back into him. The color faded from his hair, his eyes turned a shocking green and his wings unfolded and sprung from his back. He flew into the air, only slightly steadier off his feet then he was a month ago.

“Hey Johnny, I thought I told you last time to stay the hell away from this town!” Danny threatened.

“Oh, an Angel-boy like you is allowed to swear like that?” the blond spirit teased, a devious smirk on his face. “I ain’t here for your sister this time, kid. I’m here for _you_.” Danny faltered slightly, eyeing the ghost teen warily. “The way I hear it, you’re worth a lot more than I thought. At least, your _wings_ are.”

 _Damn,_ Danny thought. _He knows too._

“So I’ve heard…” Danny was suddenly grabbed and restrained. He looked down to see the shadowy demon Johnny constantly had with him was now wrapped around his ankles and gripping tightly to his wrists. Danny swore silently at his lack of concentration, pulling at the inky demon, but it was like pulling at sticky restraints; it just wouldn’t budge.

“Danny!” he heard Sam cry out, but couldn’t look back as Johnny rounded behind him.

“Don’t touch me!” Danny shouted, flaring out his wings in an attempt the get rid of the ghost but the burst of energy only momentarily stunned Johnny.

“Don’t worry, little Angel-boy, I’ll only take a few…”

“You won’t touch a single one.” A burst of pink shot over Danny’s head. He heard Johnny cry out and then suddenly another blast had the shadow demon shrieking and dropping away from Danny. Danny groaned, already recognizing that voice and those pink blasts.

“I had it under control, Plasmius,” Danny said, his voice dripping with contempt and annoyance as Plasmius appeared before him. Danny shivered.

Vlad Plasmius was the scariest, most powerful demon Danny had faced…and he was only half a demon. Vlad’s skin was a murky blue, his hair was black and pointed upwards like two horns. He had a mouth full of razor sharp teeth that currently smirked deviously at him and his eyes…solid red.

“Oh clearly, you were about to be plucked like a thanksgiving turkey, but you’re right, no thanks are in order.”

“Damn straight,” Danny murmured darkly. Vlad’s eyes traveled over Danny’s shoulder and Danny turned to see Johnny shaking the stun from his head, teeth grit.

“Little Punk,” Johnny growled. “What, so you’ve got backup now?”

“You seem to be new to this, so I’ll be polite this once and let you in on what’s going on,” Plasmius said lightly, his tone playful despite the cold tinge, words like frosted honey dripping from his forked tongue. “This little angel is mine. His wings and all, and as I’ve said to every other dirty little demon and spirit that has attempted to take what is mine, you don’t want to mess with me.” Vlad floated before Danny, his aura bursting out in thick waves, dark and burning. Danny wrapped his wings around himself to fend off the powerful aura but Johnny got the full brunt of it. He could feel Vlad’s power, his dark energy, his malice and corruption, could feel it burning him. That’s what made Vlad so scary. He rarely had to even fight to get demons and spirits scared of him, to cow to his whims. It was something that made Danny thankful Vlad never attacked him.

“I don’t belong to you,” Danny murmured in irritation, only Plasmius catching his words. The half demon smirked over his shoulder before turning back to the blond spirit who looked ready to wet himself.

“Have I made myself clear?” Plasmius asked politely. Johnny scampered away, his shadow demon following close behind.  Vlad nodded and turned back to Danny with a teasing grin. “How’s my little angel then? Your wings alright?”

Danny unfolded them from around himself, glaring at the demon. “I’m fine, and I would have been just as fine without your help. I don’t need some demon protecting me.”

“It appears you do. All the demons and spirits running loose know about you, know what you are, and they know how powerful Angel Feathers are. You’re in danger from all of them and you can’t even fend off one.”

“I can fend them off just fine!” Danny argued. “Besides, _you’re_ a demon, so obviously, when my back is turned, you’re going to try to rip out my feathers too, just like the rest of them. I’m not grateful to you for acting like a hero when it’s just a mask.”

“Ahh, you see right through me,” Vlad said with a shrug. “Doesn’t change the fact that you need help, little angel.” Danny opened his mouth to argue but was suddenly grabbed by Vlad and dragged through the air into the alley between his house and the neighbors.

“Hey!” Danny protested but Vlad put a hand to Danny’s mouth and lowered them to the ground.

“As much as I love to have you like this all alone in an alley, I am once again merely protecting you.”

Danny shook off Vlad’s hand. “What is it now?” Danny asked skeptically, glancing around the corner and blanching. His parents. He felt a sudden burst of energy and turned to see Vlad’s body momentarily surrounded in dark clouds before human Vlad stood before him. Tall, lightly tanned, long silver hair, pristine suit, dark blue eyes, and that same damned smug smirk, sans the fangs. Danny sighed and followed suit, standing human after a small burst of light.

“Amazing,” Vlad breathed in amusement, running the back of his knuckles against Danny’s cheek. Danny’s skin crawled at the warm touch that he quickly batted away before rounding the corner to face his worried friends and his newly arrived folks.

“Danny! You okay?”

“What happened, you—“

“Hey, Danny!” Jack exclaimed, cutting off Sam and Tucker’s concerned questions. “Come help your mother and me with this!” Danny looked to see Jack and Maddie struggling to pull out a large heavy metal contraption of some sort, covered in wires and a glass dome on top. The teen silently wished he had normal parents that merely brought groceries home at the end of the day, not weird demon hunting inventions.

Danny hurried forward, putting his hands under the machine just as Jack noticed Vlad and let go completely, Danny and Maddie nearly collapsing under its weight. Sam and Tucker rushed forward to help.

“Vlad! Good to see you, my man, how are things? Stopping by for a visit?” Jack asked, going over to Vlad. Danny looked over his shoulder, watching as Jack slapped Vlad jovially on the back. Vlad had his hands in his pockets, looking relaxed and more together than he had a right to.

Danny heard Vlad agree casually as the four of them struggled to bring the contraption into the house, Vlad and Jack chatting behind them.

“Take it over to the living room, Danny,” Maddie called from the other side of the machine.

They changed directions towards the couch. Vlad and Jack passed them to go towards the kitchen, and Danny nearly dropped the machine when he felt a warm hand lightly trail his back as Vlad walked by. Vlad shot Danny a smug smirk over his shoulder and Danny looked away angrily, a dark blush on his face.

He didn’t like being toyed with by the half demon. It was bad enough when spirits attacked him but to have someone who could disguise themselves as a human and walk around his home also terrorize him…it sent chills up Danny’s spine and made him feel trapped.

“Now that this old thing is inside, we can tell you the good news!” Maddie exclaimed, pulling her hood and goggles down, wiping her brow with the back of her hand. “We got three sponsors for our invention, all of them big names in the science community!”

“That’s great, mom!” Danny said happily. His parents had gone to another big science convention for the weekend, bringing a prototype of a new invention. They needed to properly refine it and improve the design but needed more funds, and so had gone to the convention in hopes of having rich scientists become interested in their work and fund them.

“You know Maddie, if you needed money, I would have been more than happy to fund your project,” Vlad commented almost pleasantly. He walked passed Danny, two mugs of warm tea in his hands. He handed one to Maddie, smiling down at her, standing too close in Danny’s opinion. “I’d be more than happy to help.”

“That’s very kind of you Vlad, but having these scientists as sponsors, having their name on this invention, is good credit for us in the long run,” Maddie explained, smiling at Vlad. Danny groaned, turning away as the adults began discussing the finer points of the invention.

“Well I’ll let you guys talk. We’ve got homework. Come on guys!” The three teens hurried up the stairs and into Danny’s room. Once inside, Danny closed the door, leaning heavily against it, a shaky sigh escaping him. It may be childish, like hiding under your blanket to protect yourself from monsters, but Danny felt safer with the door separating him from outside, safer in his room surrounded by his stuff, as though the monster downstairs couldn’t possibly get into this space.

“You sure you want to leave a demon downstairs with your parents?” Sam asked uneasily, eyeing Danny carefully.

Danny shrugged, leaving the door to sit at his computer desk. “Vlad’s pretty much harmless in his human form.”

Tucker and Sam both shot Danny a look. He cringed and shrugged again. “Well…not _harmless,_ but it’s not like he wants to reveal that he’s part demon, so he’s never done anything… _that_ bad.”

“Isn’t he always flirting with your mom?” Tucker asked. “That’s pretty bad.”

“Mom never takes him seriously though. They’ve been friends since before I was born, she probably thinks it’s just him being friendly and joking around.”

“Scary to think they’ve been friends with a demon for so long and have no idea,” Sam muttered. “I mean in theory it’s kind of cool, I’ve always wanted a vampire friend but knowing what _real_ demons are like…” Sam shivered.

“Tell me about it,” Danny muttered. “I mean don’t get me wrong, he’s downright _awful_ in his human form. He’s sarcastic and condescending, he’s petty as all hell—“

“Language—ouch!”

Danny rolled his eyes but smirked when Sam wacked Tucker with one of Danny’s pillows. “He doesn’t care about other people. He puts down my dad all the time, argues with him about everything, belittles him, and he treats my mom like she’s an _object.”_

Sam scoffed in annoyance, crossing her arms.

“So why are you leaving him alone with them down there?” Tucker asked.

Danny put his head in his hands. “What am I supposed to do? Kick him out of the house in front of my parents?”

Sam and Tucker both looked sadly to Danny, knowing there wasn’t much Danny could do about the situation.

“And I can’t exactly threaten him. He’s stronger than me. I’ve only had these powers for a month, he’s been how he is since before I was born! And maybe demons are just inherently stronger than angels…I don't know,” Danny shook his head and sighed. “They're fine downstairs. If Vlad really wanted to hurt them, he would have done it long before I was around to stop him. I just wish I understood more about all of this,” Danny muttered. Sam walked over, putting a comforting hand on the angel’s shoulder. He smiled gratefully at her, though the expression didn't quite reach his eyes. “Well, at least tomorrow is Sunday.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "If we only understood our divinity,  
> we would have larger faith."  
> -Orison Swett Marden

Jack groaned loudly, attempting and failing for the third time to properly secure the yellow and blue tie around his neck. “I hate these things. Do we really have to do this every weekend?”

“Dad, we’ve been over this,” Jaz said in exasperation, walking over to her dad and batting away his clumsy, large hands. She deftly wound the thin fabric into a proper knot and tightened it, Jack giving a strangled yelp. “Danny’s at a delicate stage in his life right now. Adolescence is a time of self-discovery and insecurities. Danny’s trying something new as he tries to understand himself, so we need to support him.”

“Couldn’t he discover himself somewhere else, like a bowling rink?” Jack muttered miserably, continuing to fidget with the tie, trying to loosen it until Jaz slapped his hands away irritably.

“We promised to support Danny, Jack, no matter what he wants to try out,” Maddie said firmly from the kitchen, where she looked just as uncomfortable in a white sundress dotted with bright yellow flowers. Small pearls hung from her ears through her neat orange hair. A touch of makeup on her face softened her pained smile. She sipped her coffee carefully.

“I like that dress, mom. Another loan from Mrs. Manson?” Jaz asked, straightening her own simple turquoise dress with a white band around her waist.

Maddie groaned into her cup. “She always seems so overly excited to lend me a dress. Probably thinks I’ll give up the jumpsuits if she tries hard enough to get me into a dress I love.”

“Whether its hazmat or floral print, you still look like a babe to me, sweetcheeks,” Jack beamed and Maddie blushed and giggled.

Jaz rolled her eyes and shook her head, glancing towards the staircase. Danny ascended slowly, his light gray suit fitting tightly at his shoulders and thighs, the legs ridding up a tad too high to reveal the tall black socks underneath. His hair was brushed away from his forehead as best he could but the wild locks never stayed put for long.

“Not bad, Danny,” Jaz commented with a smile. “At least _you’ve_ figured out the tie thing.”

Danny smiled almost bashfully, lightly touching the blue tie at his neck. He glanced over to his parents, who were pouring themselves more coffee. “Thanks Jaz, for all this. I know they fuss every Sunday but—”

“You don’t need to thank me, little brother. It’s nice to do something as a _normal_ family every now and then; something that doesn’t have to do with demon and spirit hunting. And even though they complain, they’re happy to do something to support you.”

Danny nodded, but his face remained skeptical. “I know, but I also know how skeptical they are of church and religion. I just don’t want them having another loud debate with the old nun again.”

“I talked to dad about that earlier; he’ll behave himself,” Jaz said with a firm nod. “Mom too.”

Danny smiled, a little relieved and a little more excited to go. “Thanks Jaz.”

Unfortunately, the Fentons couldn’t take this weekly trip in a typical way, ruining Jaz’s small illusions as they all fit into the Fenton Family Assault Vehicle, a large metal demon hunting weapon on wheels.

They drove for 10 minutes and squeezed the supped up RV into a parking spot way in the back of the lot before the family headed into St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church(1).

Once in the doors, Danny could feel his nerves relax just a little bit. Something about this place always made Danny feel safer. It was hard to relax most days, with demons and spirits popping up randomly, no matter if Danny was home, at school, at the store… they could just appear and attack.

But here, in the high ceiling building with large open windows that filtered in warm colorful light, loud beautiful music filling the air along with the soft hum of chatter and the serums from the priest, surrounded by beautiful stained glass and detailed paintings of angels… Powerful angels with big white wings like Danny…here, Danny felt safe. At least for a few short hours.

Danny had never been particularly religious, growing up with parents that relied on science and focused on the darker aspects of the supernatural. But ever since his accident, when he’d received his wings somehow and that first spirit had called him Angel-boy, Danny had been looking for answers. The best and most obvious place seemed to be church. So, with his parents thinking he was suddenly interested in saving his soul, Danny came week after to week to St. Sebastian’s, hoping he’d gain some kind of insight on what he was exactly, how he ended up like this and more importantly, what he was supposed to do.

Despite the safety he felt in the church building, the actual sermons proved fruitless lately. It was nice, hearing stories of powerful angels and of a loving God, but week after week, Danny faced powerful, terrifying spirits and demons who only wished to harm him. He never met any other angels or half angels like him, and no merciful God ever spoke to him. None of the stories or passages in the Bible seemed to really help him in understanding himself or how to stop the menaces running free in his town.

But Danny continued to return, if only for the sanctuary he felt here briefly each Sunday morning, and the hope that eventually, he’d get answers stronger than “pray on it”.

Today Danny sat in the second closest row, listening with focus stronger than when he was in school to the sermon as Jack and Maddie squirmed, looking uncomfortable and as the priest spoke, looking as though they wanted to argue every word the man said.

The priest, a man only slightly older than Jack, with silvery white hair, a soft rolling voice and a smile that made him seem like he shared a private joke with everyone in the church, commanded the crowd easily, getting a hushed chorus of Amen, crossing himself reverently, and throwing in easy jokes to lighten the early morning.

The soft words held Danny’s attention and interest but didn’t do much in the way of answers. Danny sighed softly as he got on his knees with the rest of the crowd. It was frustrating but Danny wouldn’t give up so easily. He wanted to talk to the priest about some of his concerns, but had yet to properly figure out how to explain he’d sprouted angel wings and gained mystical powers without seeming crazy or possessed. And so he stayed in the pews, quiet but hopeful.

Groaning with relief at the last prayer, Jack struggled to his feet and stretched. “All that kneeling and praying is killer on the joints,” he commented. “Why does God want us in pain to worship him?”

Jaz nudged Jack in the ribs. The man flinched, glancing to Danny. “I mean…”

“It’s okay, dad. All the repeated kneeling and standing and sitting kind of wears me out too,” Danny said with a laugh.

The family made their way outside through the crowd, Maddie and Jack discussing if it was scientifically possible to turn water into wine, walking a little ahead of Danny, Jaz following close to them as she read one of the informational programs.

Danny blinked up at the sunlight as he stood in the doorway at the top of the eight grand steps that led out of the church. He sighed, not feeling ready to leave just yet. Back out into the dark world…

A small cloud of smoke floated into Danny’s face. He coughed and blew it away with his hand.

“Daniel?”

Danny’s insides ran cold at the voice. _Oh no, not here…_

“Plasmius,” Danny growled, turning to indeed see the man leaning against the outside of the church by the door, a lit cigarette between Vlad’s long pale fingers. If Vlad didn’t dress properly all the time, Danny would have assumed he’d just walked out of the church like everyone else. “I didn’t see you in any of the pews.”

“Oh, I wasn’t inside. Churches aren’t exactly my cup of tea,” Vlad commented mildly, taking a final drag of the cigarette before dropping it between his feet on the steps of the church, snuffing the lit stub with the sole of his shoe. Danny growled and glared at the man’s disrespectful action.

“Then what are you doing here?” Danny hissed between clenched teeth. He really didn’t want Vlad here. This was supposed to be his _one_ safe place from spirits and demons, especially _this_ demon who could willingly wonder into his home nearly any damned time he pleased. If Vlad now knew he came here every Sunday morning…

“Just checking to make sure my precious angel is doing alright,” Vlad purred, his deep blue eyes pinning Danny. Those eyes traveled up and down Danny’s body, making the boy shiver. “As much as I love seeing you actually dressed properly, seems you’re in need of a new suit. I wouldn’t mind helping you out. I’m told I have exquisite taste in clothing.” Vlad smiled and brushed non-existent dust from his no-doubt expensive black suit sleeve. Vlad wasn’t just a dangerous demon; he was a dangerous human. Money was power among people and Vlad was one of the most powerful men in the country where wealth was concerned.

“No thanks Plasmius, I don’t accept gifts from—” A puff of mist escaped Danny’s lips despite the relatively warm May day. Danny groaned, looking around him.

A smirk spread over Vlad’s face and he tilted his head. “If you’ve got to go do the hero thing, I’ll cover you.”

“There’s no hero thing. It’s a get-rid-of-the-pesky-demons-who-want-my-wings thing.”

Vlad shrugged. “Call it what you will, but I’ve noticed _you_ go after _them_ when you sense them, I assume to try and stop them from bothering humans. You make yourself a target that way.” Vlad reached out, tilting Danny’s chin upward as the man stepped closer. “You make it more difficult for me but it’s not like you ever have to worry; no demon is ever laying a hand on you.”

“Except you?” Danny asked dryly, his heart hammering too fast in his chest from the touch. Vlad’s demonic aura was muted in this form, but Danny could feel a tickle of it against his skin, not scolding but warm.

“Exactly.” Danny scoffed, jerking his chin from the older man’s grip. Vlad chuckled and moved Danny behind him, blocking him from the crowd. “Well, go on then.”

Danny grumbled under his breath, not enjoying having to take help from the demon but when another mist came from Danny’s lips, he sighed and took the help. With Vlad effectively blocking him, Danny quickly transformed in a small flash of light, taking off into the air before anyone could look over. Danny rounded the church, away from the crowd and towards the demonic presence he felt.

“Alright…where are you…?” Danny muttered, his wings flapping softly behind him. Suddenly something hit him over the back of his head, knocking him forward, almost out of the air. He whipped around and groaned, rubbing the back of his head. “Oh, it’s just you.”

“I’d watch my tone if I were you,” Youngblood said, floating before Danny with what the kid probably thought was a menacing sneer. Youngblood was a young spirit who seemed to think the afterlife was just another game to play; he haunted the parks and schools, laughing giddily as he flew around in different costumes with his demon bird familiar.

From what Danny gathered about demons and spirits, spirits were the souls of dead humans, stuck on earth for whatever reason, usually filled with regret, anger or in Youngblood’s case, bitter mischief.

Demons were creatures of energy and power that seemed to feed off of misery and trouble. They weren’t human, they never were, merely monsters from another world or afterlife that loved to torment humans. Danny noticed that a lot of spirits seemed to have demon familiars with them, tempting the spirits and assisting them in mischief, most likely feeding off the negative feelings of the humans. The worst had been Spectra and her familiar Bertrand, who made it their goal to suck up human energy and life.

“Isn’t it passed your bedtime, kid?” Danny drawled, the knowledge that the trouble was only Youngblood helping to calm his nerves.

“Funny, but I’m here cause I heard you’ve got some valuable booty,” Youngblood mocked and Danny felt his blood run cold. _Great, does everyone know now?_

“Oh he does indeed, but we’re probably not thinking of the same thing.” Plasmius suddenly appeared by Danny’s elbow, his demon side smiling wickedly. “I assume you were referencing the beautiful wings on his back. Those though, are mine as well.”

Youngblood seemed to falter slightly at the sudden appearance of what he gathered to be a very powerful demon.

“I’ll give you the same warning I give the others, since you’re young,” Vlad said with his chin high. “Stay away from Phantom. He’s mine.”

“I’m not _yours!_ ” Danny exclaimed angrily, flying around the half demon and tackling the young spirit, dragging him away to fight his own battles in peace.

Youngblood squirmed until he escaped Danny’s grip, punching Danny in the chin. “Got a babysitter or something?” Youngblood taunted.

“Something like that,” Danny muttered, putting his hands together and sending a blast of green light towards the spirit. Youngblood hastily dodged and then dodged another attack before ordering his bird familiar to attack.

Danny quickly put his wings around himself to shield from the bird’s talons and sharp beak. He spun around and spread his wings wide, throwing off the bird before charging again at Youngblood. “Just stay out of my town, kid! Go back to wherever the hell spirits are supposed to go.”

“No way,” Youngblood growled, all joking suddenly gone from his young expression. “No way I’m going back there!”

Danny didn’t have time to wonder about the strong outburst before a hook on a line suddenly shot between the angel and spirit.

“Whoa!” Danny looked down and his heart sank. His parents were underneath them on the sidewalk, weapons aimed up at them. “Oh no…”

“Alright, you demonic freaks, you’re going down!” Jack shouted up at them.

“Jack look at that one with the wings! What do you suppose it is? Some kind of fae-demon(2) perhaps?”

“I don’t know, but we’re going to have fun finding out!” Jack shot the device skyward, the hook flying up again, towards Danny. The angel dodged and the hook hit the bird familiar instead, catching him.

“No!” Youngblood exclaimed, diving forward to try and rescue his bird.

“Hey kid, stay away from them!” Danny exclaimed, moving to rush forward to stop the young spirit but a strong grip was suddenly on his shoulder. Danny shook it off, already knowing who it was but Vlad grabbed Danny firmly and pulled him away from the scene. “No let go! I don’t need your help, they’re going to hurt him!”

“They’re going to hurt you if they get the chance to catch you,” Vlad growled. “You’re much more interesting than a common spirit. Besides, I thought Youngblood was just a menace.”

“Yeah but…” Danny watched, stuck in Vlad’s grasp, far enough away to be out of sight. He watched as Youngblood dodged his mother’s attacks, using his sword to cut his bird loose. The two quickly flew away and Danny let out a small sigh of relief.

“You’re way too compassionate,” Vlad said quietly in Danny’s ear. “You need to be…” Vlad’s right hand slid up Danny’s arm, over his shoulder and to his throat, moving up to tilt the boy’s head upward, exposing his neck. “…tainted.” Danny shivered and struggled out of Vlad’s grip, twisting around to glare at the demon.

“You stay away from me!” Danny snarled. “I’m tired of you butting in and treating me like you own me! You don’t!”

“I’m protecting you—”

“I don’t need protection from a _demon!_ I’ve got protection from the—” Danny paused, looking down towards the church. Danny clenched his hands into fists. “Just stay away from me.”

“I’m afraid not, my little angel. You’re too valuable. Too many people want you. And now, even _they_ are on that list.” Vlad tilted his head downwards, toward the Fenton family. Danny looked as well, seeing Jack’s sorrow at not only losing out on some interesting new specimens to dissect, but having his equipment damaged. Jaz stood beside them, covering her face with the informational program, looking as though she wished she belonged to any of the dozens of other normal families that we still trickling out of the church. Danny felt the same in that moment.

“They’re going to be after me now,” Danny muttered. He had tried so hard to keep out of sight from the two hunters whenever he was in this form. Danny knew how his parents could get; they were going to become obsessed with the mysterious “winged demon”.

“They won’t lay a finger on you.”

Danny turned, glaring at the dark demon that floated behind him. “You will stay away from them. And me.” Danny lowered to the streets, silently turning human before rounding the building and running over to his parents, apologizing for taking so long to leave the church. His parents barely seemed to hear his excuse, excitedly explaining what they had just seen.

Danny laughed nervously. “A boy with white hair and wings? Kind of sounds like an angel. Maybe he’s not all—”

“An angel?” Maddie exclaimed with a laugh. She ruffled Danny’s hair affectionately as the family made their made towards the RV. “I know you enjoy going to church Danny, but scientifically, angels just can’t exist. Their wings alone would have to be _enormous_ in order to support the full weight of a grown human and even if—”

“Mom!” Jaz exclaimed. “What did we talk about this morning? You’re not allowed to dismiss or debate against Danny’s new beliefs. We’re supposed to support them!”

“We went to the church, we listened quietly, so we supported Danny, but think about what this could mean, Jazzypants!” Jack exclaimed, too excited to properly listen to his daughter’s complaints.

“This is a big discovery for our work and we can’t just _pretend_ it’s an angel. We need to figure it out, identify what kind of demon it is!” Maddie said.

Danny followed silently as his mother and father discussed the impossibility of angels and the excitement of this new species of demon they had discovered. Jaz groaned, seemingly more upset about her lack of a “normal family” than at the fact that Danny’s “beliefs” were being dismissed.

Danny wanted to tune it all out but he listened to his parents’ words, listened and wondered if perhaps they were right. Danny had never seen other angels but he’d seen plenty of demons and spirits…maybe he was just a different kind of demon…just another monster.

Danny paused before getting into the Assault Vehicle, glancing up when he felt a shiver down his spine. He looked to the sky and saw a horned shadow above them by the tall spire of the church, its red eyes following Danny, its fanged smile shining wickedly. Danny growled and turned away, slamming the door shut.

 _No. No way. If all that is true, that would mean I’m just like Vlad._ Danny stubbornly refused to believe it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, if there's any mistakes of any kind, please feel freely to politely point them out to me in the comments. I read this over like twice hastily as I rushed to get it published for Sunday. It is...like 46 minutes late, I'm terrible, but enjoy it anyway. I'll try to be on time next week v.v
> 
> (1) I don't know much about him but from my brief bit of research, Saint Sebastian was a saint and martyr who had survived being tied to a tree and shot full of arrows. He was also considered a protector from the plague. (I chose this name because I thought of Black Butler and found it ironic tbh ;))
> 
> (2) Fae refers to faeries, who in a lot legends and stories are considered evil or even demonic, with their mischievous, in-human nature


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "All I have seen  
> teaches me to  
> trust the Creator  
> for all I have not seen."  
> \- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Danny slammed into the wall of red lockers, groaning and rubbing his head. “Watch where you’re going, Fenturd,” Dash growled as he and his jock squad walked by, all letterman jackets and broad shoulders, with no brains between their ears.

“Think they’re going to Hell for bullying an angel?” Tucker wondered idly, pulling Danny up by his arm and dusting off his shoulders.

“Half angel, Tuck,” Danny said with a sigh, but smiling gratefully to his friend.

“Still. Flash those wings once and people in this school might actually worship you or something. It would be pretty cool, and helpful for getting invited to parties.”

“I’m not showing anyone my wings. Pretty sure if people started worshipping me then _I’d_ go to Hell,” Danny said with a shake of his head. “The last thing I want to do is upset God. He’s the one I need to get answers from.”

“Not exactly sure that’s how religion works, dude.”

“Well that’s how it needs to work,” Danny said firmly, but his body belied his fatigue. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. “It’s all I have at this point.”

“How’s that all going, anyway?” Tucker asked as they started back down the hall towards their English class. “Any spiritual messages or burning bushes talking to you yet?”

Danny rolled his eyes. “No. I went to church yesterday again, and prayed like they told me but…nothing. I’m not sure how long I’m supposed to wait for some kind of sign or whatever, but I’ll just keep at it, until shrubs start speaking to me. It’s going to be harder now though…”

“Why? Something happen?”

“Plasmius happened. He knows I go there now.”

“He was at the church? Shouldn’t he have burned up upon entering holy ground?”

“He didn’t go inside, he was standing outside the building.”

“Why was he hanging around a church?”

The two walked into class, ignoring all the other students and Mr. Lancer who was standing towards the front, taking their seats in the back. The boys lowered their voices. “Not sure honestly. Probably followed me or something. He’s more of a nuisance than a danger honestly; he’s always around like a shadow and acting possessive in front of spirits. I just hate that now the one place I felt safe...he knows about. He’ll probably be there every Sunday now.”

The thought made Danny nauseous. He just couldn’t escape from Vlad; the man could come into his home, into his fights, and now the church…

“School can be your safe place, Danny.”

“Yeah right. Spirits and demons can come in here all they want, and what's so safe about stupid jocks prowling the hallways?”

The bell rang and the classroom chatter dimmed as Mr. Lancer started his lecture. He passed around the new required reading. “And I want to emphasize that all of you are to _read_ the book, not skim through Sparknotes.” A thick book slammed onto Danny’s desk, startling him. “I’m talking to you, Fenton.” The class all giggled softly and Danny sunk lower into his seat.

He glanced at the title of the book.

Paradise Lost.(1)  _Tell me about it…_

…

Danny walked home with Tucker and Sam, drained from a day of equations, bullies and gym class.

“You guys wanna stay for dinner? We always order take out on Mondays,” Danny suggested as they rounded the corner onto Danny’s street.

“No can do, man. Dad’s been pestering me all week about ‘father-son bonding’. I’ve got to go with him to his weekly golf outing with the other men from his job,” Tucker said with a less than pleased shrug. Tucker and any form of athletics—even something as lax as golf—just did not mix.

Danny laughed, shaking his head before looking over to Sam. She shook her head as well, not looking very pleased either.

“I’ve got that test in Chem tomorrow, remember? And no offense or anything, but I never get work done when I’m at your place.”

“What? How come?” Danny asked, finally reaching his house. He stopped in his tracks and groaned when he noticed a familiar black car parked in front of his home. “Oh no...not him, again.”

“ _That_ , for one,” Sam explained, eying the car as well. “There’s always so much chaos here, mostly due to spirits and a certain unwelcome demonic presence lingering around all the time.”

“Can’t he take a break! Why is he always hovering around here, he barely even likes my parents!” Danny exclaimed, more annoyance than fear laced in his voice. “What does he want!”

“I think it’s got something to do with _you_ , dude,” Tucker said uneasily.

“Yeah I figure. I just still don’t exactly get _why_ ,” Danny muttered, not rushing to enter his home. He hung his head, running his hand through his hair. “I just feel...anxious all the time. I don’t know what he wants and there’s no escaping him. He’s a demon—well half of one— so I know he’s dangerous but he’s never actually tried to attack me, or steal my feathers. And he acts…” Danny thought about the casual touches, the banter...The boy shook his head. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”

“Want us to stay, Danny?” Sam asked carefully. Danny knew the offer was real. His friends had willingly gotten into trouble numerous times for Danny. They were the best.

He shook his head. “No, thanks guys but I got this. Like I said, he doesn’t cause any harm when he’s around my parents in his human form. He just makes me nervous.”

“Like a lion in a cage…” Tucker nodded. “I mean he seems safe, but who knows if he'll break the bars and attack—”

“Not helping, Tuck,” Sam muttered and began pushing Tucker down the sidewalk. “Alright Danny, call us later then. And if anything happens, we’ll be here in a second to help!”

“Thanks guys!” Danny called, watching as his friends left. Other than church, being around his friends was the safest Danny felt. He sighed and straightened his back, walking up the few stairs and opening his front door.

“Welcome home, Daniel!” Danny groaned, feeling his heart pitter at the overly cheerful voice of Vlad Masters. “How was school?”

“Where are my parents?”

“Oh you know us demons, we just love devouring the souls of unsuspecting mortals…” Vlad chuckled, taking a sip of what looked like tea.

Danny’s eyes widened and panic suddenly filled his chest. Vlad laughed and waved a hand, indicating the stairs leading to the basement lab. “It was merely a joke Daniel, between two friends--”

“We aren’t friends.”

“Your parents are downstairs working on that do-dad from the convention. I came up here to the kitchen to bring them refreshments.” He indicated the table, where a tray of tea, coffee and crackers sat.

“So what, you’re the help now?” Danny said dryly. “Kind of a downgrade from demon menace.”

“I’m their friend, it’s the least I could do,” Vlad said innocently, but with a wicked glint in his eyes.

“Demons don’t have friends, so I don’t know why you hang around them so much.”

“We have history,” Vlad said simply, his small smile unwavering as he took another small sip. “And your mother’s not too bad on the eyes.”

Danny growled, glaring at the demon, who laughed.

“What a temper you have Little angel, I didn’t mean to get you jealous. I hang around here to keep an eye on you as well.”

Danny felt cold inside at the confession. “Don’t bother. I’d rather you stayed far away from us.”

“Oh come now, what have I done to cause you to feel that way about me?” Vlad said, feigning an innocent hurt confusion.

Danny opened his mouth to angrily tell Vlad off, but what was there to say? _I hate you because you keep the spirits and demons at bay? I hate you because you’re the only one who hasn’t tried to pluck me like a turkey?_ Everything in Danny’s body screamed that Vlad was dangerous and bad, but despite how sly and teasing Vlad acted, what bad had he really done? Even how he acted towards his parents wasn’t necessarily _evil_.

Danny glanced at the tray of drinks and crackers. He pointed at it. “Is that poisoned?”

Vlad paused and then laughed heartily, the sound almost pleasing if it hadn’t been coming from a demon. Well, a half demon, Danny amended.

Vlad met Danny’s eye, his lips still twitching in amusement. “Care to test them?”

Danny held the older man’s gaze for a moment before stepping forward, taking a cracker and biting down. He didn’t choke, or collapse, or start frothing at the mouth. Actually he kind of wanted another one.

Vlad quirked an eyebrow and said, “I’m not the one to be feared, Daniel.”

Danny paused, chewing slowly before swallowing. He looked from the tray to Vlad before rolling his eyes. “I still don’t like you.”

Vlad laughed again as Danny quickly made his way upstairs. He threw open his door and slammed it shut, leaning against it with his eyes closed, releasing a small sigh. His brain was turning over on itself, flipping back and forth, one side still hating the half-demon and fearing him, while the other was becoming more and more convinced that Vlad may not be the real enemy…

“Why so tense, Little angel?” Danny’s eyes shot open. Vlad stood by Danny’s bed, looking pristine as always in his black suit, silver hair tied neatly at his neck.

“What the hell?” Danny gasped.

“Language, dear boy.”

“Weren’t you just downstairs…?”

“Oh I am. Well, my clone is anyway. He was the one you talked to in the kitchen. Couldn’t even tell the difference, huh?”

“What? A clone?”

“Demons have many powers, Daniel. Angels do too, in fact; I’m sure you could create a duplicate of yourself if you tried hard enough.”

“Angels and demons are not the same,” Danny said, but not as firmly as he once would have, no anger or resentment behind his words but instead uncertainty and question.

Vlad lifted an eyebrow. “No, perhaps not. But, you and I are very much alike.” Vlad looked around the room, walking over to the desk. He ran his fingers over Danny’s books, his computer, the corkboard on the wall...he ripped down a picture Danny had hanging, of Sam, Tucker and him, looking down at it.

Danny hurried forward. “Hey, careful with that! And get out of my—”

The young halfling found himself slammed into the wall opposite his bedroom door, his face against the wall, both his wrists pinned above his head by one strong hand. He struggled, but the body against his back was solid and tall, the grip on his wrist strong like iron shackles.

Danny’s heart started beating too fast. He felt trapped and small and afraid. In a moment of panic, he transformed, a bright light surrounding him, his wings bursting outwards, his hair and eyes changing…

“Ahh...so beautiful. Here, I’ll join you.” Danny looked over his shoulder, seeing the dark cloud surrounding Vlad and then suddenly the demon towered over him, clawed hands still pinning him against the wall, fanged teeth grinning down at him. Danny realized he made the mistake of seeing Vlad as harmless. Even in his human form, Vlad may look normal but he was still every bit the monster he looked now. Danny felt Vlad’s power and dark aura leaking off of him, rubbing against Danny, making his feathers tremble and ruffle.

“There there, I’m not going to hurt you,” Vlad murmured, gently stroking Danny’s back, between his shoulder blades where his wings protruded.

“Stop! Get off!” Danny said angrily but his voice cracked and revealed his fear. He sounded small and hoarse, even to his own ears. Vlad just chuckled. Danny chastised himself on not being more cautious around the demon. He had gotten too comfortable, believing Vlad was safe like this, in this house.

Vlad’s hands then traveled from Danny’s back to the point where skin turned to feathers. Danny’s breath caught as Vlad’s fingers circled and caressed that sensitive part of him, connecting his wings to his body. He squirmed, trying to dislodge Vlad from his back but the demon wouldn’t budge.

“Incredible. These wings of yours…so powerful, so beautiful…so valuable.”

Danny pressed his forehead against the wall, feeling helpless and weak like he never had before, even before gaining these wings and powers. Vlad’s aura was suffocating, pinning him to the wall just as firmly as the demon, hot and tingling, holding him, taking the breath from his lungs.

“Every spirit and lesser demon in the area has their eyes on you, desperate to take these from you,” Vlad said softly. His clawed hands moved upward, fingers lightly running over the feathers. Danny shivered. “But they belong to me. And I want to pluck them, one by one.”

Danny gasped slightly. He had no idea why his feathers were so valuable to demons and spirits, and he didn’t really care; he just knew didn’t want to be plucked like a bird. Especially by someone like Vlad. He struggled, harder this time, trying to turn around, flaring out his wings, knocking over the lamp on his nightstand. The glass shattered in a sharp explosion, Vlad’s chuckling taunting Danny’s ears.

“There’s no use fighting boy— this is inevitable. But you needn’t worry; I’m not going to take a single feather from you. I honestly have no need of them. I could do it though —i could rip each one from you, like any other demon would. But I’m not like them, and I know the real fun is in watching these beautiful white feathers darken, blacken, watch them fall as the light fades from those beautiful eyes and the white melts from your hair back to that lovely black.” Vlad’s mouth was right at Danny’s ear, growling sickly sweet. “I want to see you tainted.

“It’s not all bad. You don’t need to be afraid of me, Daniel. You’re only suffering more, as you are. It’s harder to be good; you’re all alone, living up to standards that are too high to reach, even with these wings. You go to church every week, say your little prayers but do you have any answers? Where’s God? Why isn’t he answering his angel, or helping you? Where are all the other angels? You’re alone and your wings make you the enemy, Daniel. They’re a target on your back, the thing that’s causing you suffering. You’ve got them, along with powers you can’t control or understand.

“But I can help you. I can guide you. Let me in, Daniel. Let me take these wings from you, help you rid yourself of them as you darken yourself. Let me paint you in my colors…”

Vlad’s mouth whispered against Danny’s cheek, down his neck where sweat had begun to trail downward. Vlad’s lips touched the skin between neck and shoulder, chuckling in a rich, deep tone before biting down, fangs piercing into Danny’s flesh.

Danny gasped at the quick pain. It burned and throbbed, stinging him until the aching spread throughout his whole body. Vlad held on, one arm wrapped tightly around Danny’s body, his free hand still caressing Danny’s wings.

The boy felt himself grow weak, leaning heavily against the wall, unable to so much as try to wiggle away. His knees shook as he whimpered. He was sure he would have fallen if not for the wall and Vlad’s grip on him.

His large white wings ruffled and then began receding, Danny’s hair fading back to black, the green shine of his eyes dimming.

“Danny?”

The familiar call of his sister’s voice roused Danny slightly but he couldn’t find the energy to panic.

Vlad’s fangs left Danny’s skin, the deep pain and ache immediately gone, save for a small sting on his neck.

“Remember my little angel, you are mine. I’m here to help you.”

Danny’s legs couldn’t hold him up as Vlad released him, and the angel fell to his knees, facing the wall. His wings shrunk into his back, his clothes, hair and body returning to normal just as his bedroom door opened. “Danny, I— Danny?”

Jaz was at his side in an instant, pushing Danny’s black bangs from his forehead. “Danny, what’s wrong? Are you feeling alright? What happened?”

“I’m fine,” Danny managed, his voice breathless and hoarse. He swallowed and tried again. “I’m fine.” It sounded almost believable now.

“Did you fall?” she glanced to the side. “Your lamp…”

Danny glanced over too, seeing the mess of broken glass shards scattered on the floor, the shade dented to the side of the explosion. “Just...got a little dizzy.” His eyes searched the room. Vlad was gone.

“Come on, get to bed then,” Jasmine said, helping Danny to stand on shaky legs and move around the mess to his bed. Danny slumped down, feeling as though the energy was gone from his body, leaving a heavy shell. Jaz’s hand was back on his forehead.

“Jaz really, I’m ok,” he said softly, trying to move his head away from her touch but her hand was cool and he felt too tired to properly fight. He just hated seeing the confused worry on her face.

“You feel warm. You’re probably running a fever. I’ll be right back, stay right there.”

Jaz quickly left the room, Danny suddenly feeling fear welling inside him, a panic buzzing in his chest now that he was alone, fearing the demon crawling out from under his bed to sink fangs and claws into him once more.

Jaz returned in only a few short minutes with a broom under her arm and a thermometer in her hand, though Danny was now sweating and shaking terribly.

She instructed he open his mouth, putting the thermometer under his tongue. As it beeped softly, Jaz swept up the broken glass, brushing the mess into a corner, away from the open area until she could properly get rid of the shards. Danny watched her, seeing the focused look in her eyes, the slight dimple of worry between her red brows. Over the years, Jaz had been by Danny’s side more than his parents, cooking, cleaning, helping with homework, caring for him through every stomach bug, cold and his chicken pox epidemic. Jaz had become as mature and bossy as she was now due to stepping up to take care of her younger brother when their parents were too busy. Danny didn’t hate his parents for it; he just wished they would take up a different hobby.

The device in his mouth beeped rapidly, Jasmine taking it out, her eyebrows scrunching above her nose. “99. A little high, but not really a fever. Were you feeling sick during school today?”

Danny didn’t say anything for a moment, his mouth dry, his mind fuzzy. He eventually shook his head. “Have you eaten?” He shook his head again. “Maybe you just got a little dizzy from not eating then. I’ll get you some water and food. Stay in bed, alright?” Danny nodded, not really wanting to move for the next three days. His eyes began to droop. “Mom and Dad are still down in the lab. Vlad is with them, so they’ll probably be down there all night. They seem to have forgotten about Take-out Monday so I’ll just go pick us up some Chinese food.”

Danny listened as Jaz went down the stairs. After a moment, he reached up, feeling his neck where his skin still stung. He winced slightly as he touched the sore area. His finger didn’t come away wet, so he wasn’t bleeding, and the skin didn’t feel broken. He struggled up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He stood, tiredly making his way to the mirror on his wall. He craned his neck, eyes widened. Between neck and shoulder, if he stretched the collar of his shirt down a little, there was a mark. Two small crescents, red against his skin.

Danny shivered, remembering the demon’s bite, remembering his words. _You’re mine._

Fatigue overwhelmed Danny, filled his mind and limbs with sand, dragging him back to bed. He didn’t even have the energy to worry if Vlad would return to his rooms before Jasmine returned. He lay on his stomach, face buried in the pillow. His eyes wouldn’t stay open, and he slipped into a silent sleep with a sigh of relief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I just can't seem to get chapters out on time, ugh. Anyway, hoped you enjoyed this chapter, twas fun to write honestly ;3 Thanks for all the comments and kudos so far, keep 'em coming, I like to hear your thoughts, predictions, questions, etc., really helps motivate me! :) See y'all next week!
> 
> (1) Paradise Lost was written by John Milton in 1667. Its an epic poem about the war against the fallen angel Lucifer and God, as well as the fall of Man.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Behold,  
> I am going  
> To send an angel  
> Before you  
> To guard you  
> Along the way."  
> -Exodus 23:20 (NASB)

“He _bit_ you!?” Sam and Tucker stared in equal expressions of horror and shock.

“Yup.”

“Aren’t demon bites supposed to be poisonous? Are you okay!?”

“I mean, I feel fine now,” said teen carefully, readjusting his shirt to cover the two small marks still showing on his neck. “I wasn’t feeling too well yesterday when it happened but I mean, that could have just been from exhaustion. Being around him is always…draining.”

“Why didn’t you call us, Danny?” Sam exclaimed, her face broken with worry.

“Sorry, I slept all through till morning. But like I said, I’m okay.” And he was, as far as he could tell. Still a bit shaken from the incident and still unsure of exactly what it all meant, but he didn’t feel sick or poisoned. Or tainted.

“So, Vlad basically wants to bring you to the dark side?” Tucker asked. The trio was sitting out at one of the benches for lunch, one of the only times they could all be together during school and talk freely. “How’s he gonna do that exactly? Turn you Goth like Sam?”

“Oh ha ha,” Sam said dryly, rolling her eyes. “This is serious, Tuck. That bite might not seem bad now but what if it corrupts Danny over time, like a virus. How are your powers, Danny? Are your wings okay?”

Danny hesitated before shrugging his shoulders. “I haven’t brought them out yet since yesterday.”

“Do you have the urge to do anything evil? Like skip school or enslave the human race?” Tucker asked mildly, pouring an unhealthy amount of ketchup onto his burger.

“Not really,” Danny said, contemplating. “I laughed when Dash got the problem on the board wrong during math class. Was that evil?”

Tucker chuckled. “No, that would have been a crime _not_ to laugh.”

Sam tapped her chin with her pointer finger, staring at Danny as the wheels turned in her head. “Maybe we need to do an exorcism or something,” Sam suggested seriously. “Like, purge you of the demonic energies or whatever.”

“That would be really cool!” Tucker exclaimed around a mouthful of burger. “It would be like that movie _The Girl Who Never Came Back_ where the boyfriend had to exorcise the demon King from his hot girlfriend but it just ended up eating him and keeping her body.”

Sam punched Tucker’s arm, scolding him to be serious and not freak out Danny but Danny didn’t think the events of a pretend horror movie was anywhere near as scary as the real events of his life recently.

…

The week turned out to be a quiet one. Other than the bullies at school, Danny didn’t face any trouble that necessitated him pulling out his wings and hoping for the best. Danny was grateful, not only for the lack of confrontation, but for the excuse to keep his wings away.

Ever since the encounter with Vlad, Danny felt almost afraid to have his wings out. Something about Vlad’s words, his intentions to taint them…Danny felt like if he released his wings, he’d suddenly see them blackened, disfigured, sinister. He feared Vlad would appear and burn them.

Danny hadn’t seen much of Vlad either, another relief. The teen had seen the man in passing a few times when he’d returned home from school, but Vlad hadn’t so much as reached out to him, merely offering a friendly hello and a small grin than seemed to hide a secret joke, but then he’d go back to whatever conversation he was having with Danny’s parents. Danny would usually just run off to his room like usual.

Danny’s nerves were almost relaxing come Friday when a sudden burst of white mist escaped his lips, causing his good feelings to evaporate.

“Well it had been a nice break while it lasted,” he muttered. Tucker and Sam paused beside him, looking curious.

“You sensed something, Danny?” Tucker asked, his head swiveling around. The sound of buzzing and static faintly hummed around them through the streets. Danny tensed, his friends standing protectively on either side of him.

High pitched laughter echoed around them and the air above them seemed to shift and form, shaking like the images on a broken television until something materialized before them.

“Is that a demon?” Sam asked as they all stared at the green skinned humanoid entity, with wild white hair and solid blocky eyes.

“I am Technus! Master Demon of all Human Technology! I’ve come to control your electronics and then thereby gain control of your pathetic little species who worships machines!”

“No, you fiend!” Tucker cried, instinctively clutching his phone to his chest, looking as though the demon had just threatened his first born child.

Danny groaned, not taking his eyes off the demon. It was rare to see demons without spirits, and vice versa, but from what he’d learned about solo demons from Vlad, they were more dangerous.

The tech demon spotted the teens on the sidewalk, aiming a wicked smile at them. “Ah, children. Always easy targets to control, and always carrying the beloved technology…” He raised a gloved hand and Tucker’s phone was pulled from his grip. He cried out in despair. Sam’s phone floated out of her pocket, Danny’s following, along with Danny’s MP3 player and headphones, Tucker’s laptop, tablet and Ipod from his backpack.

“No, please!” Tucker cried, running after his gadgets that were floating out of his reach towards the demon. Sam called after him and Danny took this moment to hurry between the two buildings nearby. He took a deep breath, listening to chaos on the streets as he tried to calm his nerves.

_HE’ll just appear like always…why should I even bother…?_

_No! I can’t just let spirits and demons terrorize my friends!_

_But what can I even do to stop them…? I’ve never been able to defeat a single one, before HE comes to interfere anyway…_

_But I have to try!_

Danny clenched his eyes shut, shutting out all the warring thoughts as he quickly released the light before he could change his mind. In a flash, his hair turned white, his body felt lighter and a weight on his back announced the reveal of his wings. He carefully looked behind him, flexing them. They felt fine and looked just as white as usual. He sighed in relief, a weight he’d been carrying all week lifting.

He rose into the air, preparing himself for a fight when he paused before going out in the streets, noticing something perched on the edge of one of the buildings he was between. Bright red eyes made Danny’s heart drop, the eyes reminding him of Plasmius until he noticed the shape was wrong. Whatever it was, it didn’t look human, its body too small, hunched in the shadows, its red eyes shining on a narrow head.

A shout from the streets forced Danny to break eye contact with the creature watching him. He rushed out, seeing his friends ensnared by chargers and cables and wires, sparks buzzing dangerously as they hung in the air, wiggling and squirming. Technus laughed manically.

“Let them go!” Danny shouted, flying before the demon.

Technus’ black eyes went to Danny, taking in his form, his hair, his wings. “You!” He exclaimed. “You’re the angel I’ve been hearing everyone talking about!”

Danny idly wondered if demons and spirits just gossiped to each other under bridges when they weren’t tormenting humans. “T-That’s right, and so I’m sure you know not to mess with me!” Danny tried, hoping he sounded imposing.

Technus laughed, which wasn’t a good sign, and reached out with his right hand. Danny saw a stream of computers, cellphones, Ipods, tablets, laptops, wires, mouses, chargers and televisions flying towards him, all stolen from nearby homes. Danny folded his wings around himself as the machines crashed into him.

He was pushed backwards but remained unharmed. He pulsed out his wings, causing the stream to fall away from him. “I said, let them go!” Danny yelled, sending a blast of green energy towards the machines holding onto his friends. He missed the first time, causing Technus to laugh and Danny’s face to redden in anger.

_Come on, you’re finally fighting on your own! Figure it out!_

Danny instead aimed his shot at Technus, hitting him square in the chest. Technus reeled back, groaning in pain, his eyes closing and his concentration gone long enough for Sam and Tucker to fall out of his technological grasp. Danny swooped down, grabbing their wrists and lowering them safely to the sidewalk, his wings blowing fiercely as he slowed.

Danny landed in front of them, wings spread protectively. Technus looked back to Danny, his smile gone as he glared down at the angel. He raised his arms, all the technology surging upwards again, buzzing and sparking with electricity and power, causing the white hairs on Danny’s neck to rise. He wasn’t sure how he was going to stop this demon; he barely had any control or practice with his powers. And for once, Danny almost wished Vlad were here to stop the fight and scare Technus away…

Danny held his guard though, prepared to fight and defend but Technus seemed to stop midway before attacking. His eyes narrowed as he stared at Danny.

“That feeling…” Technus scrutinized Danny. “Child…you _are_ an angel, correct?”

“Uhh…” Danny said, caught off guard by the question. “Yes?”

Technus blinked and reached towards Danny but then pulled back quickly, as though flinching from the heat of a fire. He scowled. “You’ve been Marked!”

Danny’s eyes widened. He looked behind him at Sam and Tucker before quickly asking the demon, “What do you mean, Marked?”

“I sense it on you, the feeling of another demon. That’s risky, Marking an angel. Whoever it was must be some kind of monster, sinking his fangs into you.”

“What are you talking about?” Danny demanded, wanting to put his hand on his neck where the mark was. It was tingling slightly. “What does it mean?”

“You don’t know?” Technus exclaimed incredulously. “A demon bit you, correct?” Danny nodded, hesitantly. “Demon bites are a demon’s way of showing ownership,” Technus said. He chuckled darkly, shaking his head. “Poor little child. You have got a dark cloud over you permanently now. A demon has ownership of you, so I am afraid no one else is allowed to play with you.”

Technus’ eyes glowed and his chuckle turned to a laugh, high pitched as his body fizzled and pixelated, surging forward into one of the devices. His laugh echoed around them as all the technology fell to the streets, screens shattering and cracking.

Tucker hurried as his tech fell. He managed to catch his phone, running forward to catch his laptop and going after his other “children”.

Danny stood unmoving, eyes wide as he stared at where the tech demon had once floated.

“Danny?” Sam asked cautiously, moving in front of him and touching his shoulder. Danny blinked, looking to Sam. She squinted slightly as his body suddenly glowed bright, putting a hand in front of her eyes to shield them. She blinked and his wings were gone, his hair black, blue eyes staring back at her with a mix of anger, fear, and shock.

He grit his teeth, putting a hand to his neck. “He put a collar on me…” Danny muttered, his voice thick with contempt and resignation.

“We can fix it,” Sam assured, her voice firm, her grip on his shoulder strong. “What ever Vlad has planned for you— to control you, or turn you evil or whatever—we’ll stop him!”

“How?” Danny exclaimed. “I can’t do this, Sam! Everyone is out to get me! I couldn’t fight them, none of them! Vlad was the one who kept them away all this time! Just now, before his stupid Mark stopped Technus, I had been _hoping_ he’d appear!” Danny covered his face, shaking his head. “Now I won’t be able to fight any of them anyway. They’ll all just run away, leaving me wide open for whatever Vlad wants. And I can’t fight _him_ , either.”

A soft sound caused Danny to pause and look up. The figure that had been perched on the edge of the building moved. It had been watching this whole time, its red eyes unblinking. Danny watched as wings spread and it flew into the air. A bird. It exited the shadows into the light for a brief moment as it flew away, and Danny noticed green feathers.

 _Another spirit?_ Danny thought, watching it soar away. A cold feeling entered his gut. He shook his head, looking over as Tucker returned, looking relieved and proud as he cradled all his gadgets, stepping over broken glass and bent metal.

Danny sighed. “Let’s just get out of here.”

“What are you going to do about Technus?” Tucker asked, glancing around him in concern at all the debris. “He disappeared into one of the devices.”

“Which is now littered around the street,” Danny pointed out. “Hopefully that’ll be the last we hear of him, but honestly, there’s not much I could do anyway.”

“Of course there is Danny!” Sam exclaimed, smiling encouragingly. “I know things seem bad now, but we can do this! _You_ can do this! You’re part angel, with amazing powers and abilities! We’ll figure this all out.”

Danny regarded her for a moment, seeing so much enthusiasm and confidence aimed at him from his normally gloomy friend. Her words, meant to reassure and provoke courage in him, only served to make him feel lower somehow.

He nodded anyway, turning away from his friends so they could begin the walk back home. “Right,” he said tonelessly.

…

Danny didn’t hear from Technus again for the rest of the day or even Saturday. His computer at home glitched a few times when he was trying to type an essay and Tucker complained about his Ipod playing the same Rick Astley song over and over again for an hour, but Danny wasn’t too sure if any of that was demonic interference or just normal technological irritations.

Sunday morning, donned once again in his gray suit, baby blue tie and hair struggled into something almost resembling neatness, Danny stared up at the tall cathedral. Despite it not exactly being the biggest church in the state, it was still an intimidating figure among the smaller buildings of Amity Park. It stood tall and straight, its spires reaching higher than any other roofs, its points sharp and its windows painted and opaque.

As Danny stared, he noticed something a top one of the spires. “It’s that bird again,” Danny said in surprise, staring. From his angle and distance, Danny couldn’t see the green feathers or the burning red eyes, but he felt them, the shadowed mass perched, watching.

The boy shivered just as his family came over. “I’m just saying, it should be a _crime_ to have to wear these!” Maddie grumbled, walking stiffly, a slight limp to her steps. “Maybe Pam Manson is actually trying to handicap me instead of brainwash me into her hive of moms.”

Jasmine shook her head but walked ahead of them with Danny into the church. “You okay, Little bro? You seem a bit pale,” Jaz commented. They entered and walked towards the front few pews, taking their seats and leaving room for their parents.

“Yeah I’m okay. Just didn’t get much sleep last night,” Danny explained lightly, putting on an easily feigned smile despite the anxiety running through his stomach.

As the music began, the hymns were sung with either murmured dedication or wholehearted enthusiasm. Danny keep his eyes down on the book, following the words but not really hearing them.

He kneeled at the right times, said the Amen and all the right responses. When the priest spoke, Danny listened intently, hoping for something to cling to, something that would resonate within him and give him insight.

But all the comfort and hope he had held in this place suddenly dried up. The words sounded empty and foreign. The light and warmth he had once felt now made this area seem strange and uncomfortable. The colored windows and mosaics of God suddenly seemed flat, the angels that had once seemed powerful and had filled Danny with a feeling of belonging only made Danny feel as though he were staring at a wall instead of a mirror.

As he knelt, Danny bowed his head, hands folded firmly together. He squeezed his eyes shut.

_God,_

_Please. I need help._

_I can’t do this on my own, I don’t know what I’m doing._

_I’m scared all the time, and I’m in over my head._

_I’m supposed to be an angel, but why am I the only one? Where are the others?_

_I keep seeing signs that I’m supposed to be good, that angels fight for you and for humans, that we battle demons and defeat evil._

_But this demon is too powerful. I’m afraid he’ll turn me into something like him…_

_Can he do that? And if he can, why aren’t you helping me!?_

_Sam and Tucker…mom and dad and Jaz…I know I have them, but they aren’t going through what I am. They don’t feel the same feelings of fear and responsibility. I feel like I have to be strong and fight, because that’s what I am…that’s what I was turned into I guess, but I feel like things are just getting worse and worse._

_I need help._

_What do I do?_

_Please._

Danny waited, his thoughts quiet as he waited for a response, a feeling, a light, an idea, a word, a touch…

The priest continued on, and Danny sighed.

Nothing. Again.

Once the sermon was over and the crowd began to chatter amiably, families leaving the church, Danny and his family headed towards the exit. Jack stretched leisurely. “They say the bread is the body of Christ, but then they expect people to eat it. And they say the wine is the blood, and then want us to drink it(1). I don’t understand why these people get mad at us for liking the occult when those exact things are the reasons they don’t like occult!”

“I still can’t understand how people can reread one book over and over again through the centuries. I’m sure it must have changed so many times in reprint and translations and honestly, how much can we still learn by reading it again and again,” Maddie commented, tapping her lip in thought. “With all the new information and millions of books out there, how can we be expected to only read this one and get all the answers?”

“Well don’t worry, you won’t have to read it or hear it ever again,” Danny said as he walked by them out of the pew. “We don’t have to come back anymore.”

Jasmine nudged her parents angrily, hurrying after Danny. “Danny wait! You know they don’t mean it, they’re just trying to figure it out with you! If you want, I can just drive you every Sunday instead—”

“No Jaz, its fine. I don’t really want to come back much,” Danny said, honesty clear in his voice. He shrugged. “I guess I thought it was something it wasn’t. I tried it, but it just didn’t work for me.”

Jasmine stuttered slightly in confusion as Jack sighed in relief. The family left the building. The sky was overcast, gray and bleak with wetness hanging in the air, promising rain.

“Ah the Fentons, my favorite family.” Danny froze at the smooth voice, dread filling him. He looked over to see Jack grinning widely at his friend. Maddie looked surprised and then pleased. Danny shifted his eyes downwards, away from the man in the suit smiling coyly at him, pristine and imposing and smug.

“Vlad my man, what brings you? Were you attending? I didn’t peg you for a church guy,” Jack said.

“Oh no, I was just nearby and noticed the large Fenton labeled RV in the parking lot. Thought I’d catch you on your way out,” Vlad commented mildly. “Mind if I stop by the house with you to further discuss the project we were working on?”

“That would be great, Vladdie!”

Danny groaned. “Hey Dad, mind if I go to Sam’s? We uh, we’re working on a project too, for school. I want to make sure it gets done for tomorrow.”

“A bit last minute to be working on a project, hm, my boy?” Vlad said innocently. His eyes were trained on Danny, who took an involuntary step back. The boy shivered and turned, barely hearing his parents agree as he took off down the stairs and down the street, away from the church and Vlad. He couldn’t handle being in a car with the man, let alone in the same home for the rest of the day.

He ran all the way to Sam’s house, panting heavily when he reached her front door. Danny, unable to send her a text due to the chaos and destruction of Technus a few days ago, knocked briskly on the door.

A few seconds later, the door swung open. Pam Manson stood before him, as pristine as Vlad but where as Vlad was sharp angles and tall sleek black, Pam was large frills, dazzling accessories and bright pink. Her eyes racked over Danny’s suit, eyebrows raising slightly and she smiled in a way Danny had never seen aimed at him when he stopped by in his regular T-shirt and jeans. “Oh hi Danny, are you here to see Sam?”

“Hi Mrs. Manson. Yeah is she home right now?”

“Coming back from church?” Sam’s mother asked conversationally. Danny nodded. “I was just talking to your mother about that, loaned her my white heels. I rarely wear them anyway, they were from last season but I just figured it would be good to loan her a pair. I know she doesn’t have any _appropriate_ church wear, but I always love to help those in need!” Her tone was snark laced in sugar, her smile pleasant and it rubbed Danny the wrong way.

Thankfully he didn’t have to respond as Sam had come wandering down the grand staircase, headphones covering her ears. She noticed Danny in the doorway with her mother and came over, removing her headphones.

“Hey Danny,” she said, slight surprise in her voice. “I got it Mom.” Pam looked once between Danny and Sam and then left towards the living room, where a television was playing softly.

“You just get back from a funeral?” Sam joked, quirking an eyebrow at Danny’s exhausted form in a suit too small for his body.

“Basically,” Danny replied dryly. “I’m currently mourning the death of my life, which is basically over.”

“Oh Danny,” Sam said, shaking her head. She waved her arm to allow Danny inside.

“Your mother is terrible, by the way,” Danny muttered as they ascended the stairs towards Sam’s room. “I still have no idea how she and your father created you.”

“I try not to think about it too much,” Sam replied as they entered her room of doom and gloom, the complete opposite of the rest of the house. She closed the door behind them as Danny loosened his tie, pulling it off his neck. “So what happened?”

“Nothing,” Danny said, tossing the tie onto her bed. “And that’s exactly the problem. Nothing happened. I can’t keep waiting around for God or whoever to talk to me. He’ll never talk to me anyway, that’s not how any of that works apparently, from what I’ve been hearing.” Danny narrowed his eyes at the tie.

“Yeah, prayer is more just a…'wait for a sign' type of deal,” Sam said with a shrug.

Danny looked to his friend. “You grew up religious. I know Judaism and Catholicism are different but it’s similar enough.” He paused, looking away. “Do you think I should wait for God to help me?”

Sam bit her purple lip, considering. “Everyone’s different, Danny. I don’t talk about my religion because I believe people need to find purpose and answers on their own.” She reached out, touching his shoulder gently. “But you can’t give up. I’ve been thinking about it, and maybe this Mark thing is good in a way.”

“How?”

“Well think about it; that Mark is going to keep spirits and demons away from you. So the only thing you have to worry about is Vlad. If you can focus on one baddie instead of a hundred random ones, then we’ll be able to come up with some way to stop him.”

Danny thought about it a moment. Danny knew that if he didn’t interfere, spirits and demons would still be free roaming in the city, which was bad. But maybe Sam had a point; Danny wasn’t much help against the enemies anyway, so if he could focus on Vlad and get rid of him as an obstacle, maybe he’d actually be able to focus on the others next and manage to get better at defeating them.

“Maybe you’re right,” Danny agreed with a slight nod. Sam grinned, Danny returning the expression.

“Good, now come on. Put all that angels and demons stuff out of your head for a little bit and let’s just relax! God did say that Sunday is the day of rest, after all.”

The two spent the rest of the day competing in various video games, racing and fighting, yelling at each other, laughing and pushing the other’s hands to make them lose their grip on the controller. They raided the kitchen for any unhealthy snack foods they could find and littered Sam’s bedroom floor with chips, cookies, soda cans and old Halloween candy.

Danny had taken off his suit jacket and untucked his shirt, rolling up the sleeves, giving up the proper church boy look in order to be more comfortable.

Once dinner was ready, Mr. Manson coming into the room to tell the teenagers, Danny grabbed his tie and jacket to leave.

“You can stay for dinner, you know,” Sam suggested as they walked down the stairs. “I promise to talk most of the time so my parents will never get the chance to say anything. I’ll even have my Nana retell old stories from the 40s, those are always fun!”

Danny laughed but shook his head. “Nah, I’m just gonna head out. Thanks though, Sam.” He smiled and Sam returned it, slight worry evident in her soft lilac eyes.

Danny made his way home slowly, taking the long way so he had a bit more time to himself, to think. The night air was chill, the light of the lampposts and the moon enough to keep the darkness at bay. His jacket and tie were folded over his arm. He kept his head low.

He passed homes and stores and the church, eventually reaching his school. He knew he was close to home now but paused when he heard a noise. A familiar flapping. He looked up to see that creature, on the top branch of the tree outside the school.

“You again,” Danny growled. “Who are you?”

The bird didn’t respond, its red eyes simply fixated on him. Danny glared back it. It had been following him around but he wasn’t sure why. It never attacked him, or interacted with him in any way. It didn’t bother any people either as far as Danny could tell. But it wasn’t a normal animal, that was for sure. So what did it want?

“I don’t know why I expected to get an answer from you,” Danny muttered, turning away.

Suddenly Danny heard a commotion by the school. He looked and saw creatures, green and glowing, by the front entrance. They spotted Danny and suddenly took off after him. Danny gasped and ran, activating his powers as he fled. His wings sprung out in a burst of light and he took to the sky, away from the creatures. He turned midair to see what they were.

“Its you!” One of them said. Danny wondered if they were demons instead of spirits because they didn’t particularly look human. A mix of some kind of dog and monkey maybe, small like children, with fangs and horns and green skin and fur. They all looked at each other, their fangs flashing as they grinned excitedly.

“I don’t want any trouble. Just keep away from me,” Danny tried, raising his hands palm out to try and show he meant peace.

The creatures all just laughed and charged forward, jumping on the chainlink fence and propelling into the air. Danny aimed his hand and shot a green blast, which knocked the creature out of the air before he could reach the angel.

“Aha, I did it!” Danny exclaimed excitedly, surprised he managed to hit the mark on the first go. But this distracted him as the other two demons launched themselves up, grabbed a hold of Danny’s ankles, pulling him down.

Danny slammed into the street, rolling once before hurrying back up to his feet.

“Felt that?” he heard one of them mutter. “He’s got a Mark on him.”

Danny felt his gut tighten at those words. His hands glowed green with energy. “I don’t belong to anyone! The Mark doesn’t mean anything!” he yelled, hurling balls of green light again and again. The demons dodged easily enough, rushing forward.

Danny tried to get all of them but he’d never fought three enemies at once and was quickly overpowered. “If you say he don’t own ya, then he don’t,” the largest of the animal like creatures growled. “We don’t care much anyway. We’re still gonna take some of them feathers you got.”

Danny struggled, but the other two demons grabbed him by the wrists, pinning Danny to the concrete, hard cement digging into his back, his arms spread out on either side. “It’s not like you’re using them for anything,” one of them sneered. It grinned down at Danny, who continued to fight, trying to twist away but the others had him firmly in their grip. “We’ll find much better use for them. The spirits go crazy for these things, so if we get some for 'em, we’ll be able to feed off the dumb spirits energy.”

Danny was flipped, his face pressed harshly into the small pebbles and cold street. He felt more vulnerable as he struggled, his back facing them, his face pressed down so he couldn’t see what was happening. He yelled out, panic quickly filling his chest. He spread and flapped his wings, but those were grabbed as well. Danny’s heart stopped.

“Don’t worry, angel boy,” the demon snarled, malicious glee in his voice. “I’m sure it won’t hurt much.”

Danny felt one, just one, feather plucked from his right wing. He cried out, and this seemed to urge them on. They grabbed in fist fulls, pulling and yanking and tearing. Hot tears welled in Danny’s eyes as he screamed, kicking out.

Danny didn’t hear their laughter turn to anger and screams… he didn’t feel them being pulled away him… didn’t even register immediately that they had stopped ripping the feathers out…

There was a flash and then a crack of thunder and suddenly the clouds above broke, rain starting gently and then pelting down.

Danny stay lying flat on the street, lifting his head slightly to see before him. He saw feet and a white cape, billowing slightly in the harsh rain. He stared, the white bright against the night and Danny moved slightly, reaching out, wanting to touch the hem of the cape, suddenly wanting to get closer to the one before him…

Danny’s arm dropped in exhaustion. He whimpered and struggled up, raising himself slowly, balancing on shaky arms and knees, wings dragging behind him. He felt numb. He felt pain in every part of him, every nerve screaming, a deep pain in his bones, in his blood, pounding through him, a dulled resounding agony that shook him.

He looked up, saw the figure a little ways away from him, shadowed in the night, staring with red eyes…horns…white cape billowing slightly in the rain…

Danny looked behind him, saw the dust and ashes scattered around him where the demons had just been huddled around, where they had been holding him down, scratching him, ripping out his—

“Daniel.”

With a cry, Danny leapt to his feet and towards Vlad, grabbing him, holding him tightly, wings dragging uselessly behind him. Vlad’s arms wound around him as Danny wept openly, face pressed against the demon’s chest.

Danny barely felt the rain that poured over them, but after some time, he felt when Vlad’s hands moved, one lower by his legs until he was lifted, still cradled against Vlad. Danny held tight, allowing himself to be carried as long as Vlad didn’t let him go.

The rain surrounded them, muting everything except Danny’s cries. They held onto each other. Danny knew he would shatter and blow away if he didn’t hold on right now. He’d be lost and helpless like the loose feathers in the storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I know its been WAY too long since the last update! I started school again recently, as I'm sure most of you have as well, and getting back into the swing of classes, work and campus living has been taking up a lot of my time. Also, this chapter was a real pain to write for many reasons. I changed what I wanted to happen, i added and took away SO many times, but I think I'm pretty pleased with the final product. I made this chapter longer than I planned just because I figured you guys waited patiently enough and deserved a nice long update! x3
> 
> Again, thank you all so much for all the comments and kudos, they really helped push me through the writers block to actually get this chapter out. Please leave some comments on this chapter letting me know your thoughts, questions, opinons, etc. If there's any mistakes, PLEASE let me know, I read it over but I always miss stuff. If anything is kind of confusing or weird, let me know as well.
> 
> (1) The taking of the Body(bread) and Blood(wine) of Christ is Communion, a service in most Christian religions. I had been asking my roommate about Catholicism because she grew up with it, and she went off on a rant about how Communion was the main problem she had with Christianity and its why she is now Agnostic. It reminded me of Jack and Maddie so I added it in xD


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Angels, like parables and fine poetry, speak in  
> many layers of meaning and mystery,  
> trying to express the inexpressible.  
> If we ignore them,  
> our lives are the poorer."  
> -Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Like a child following a butterfly, or a trail of fireflies into the wood, only to realize he was now surrounded by trees, lost and alone, so felt Danny as he sat before the fireplace on a soft couch, inside the large mansion of Vlad Masters.

Danny barely remembered how he’d gotten into this grand home, and as he sat there, even the feeling of a trap shutting in around him couldn’t bring enough energy to the boy for him to rise from his seat and flee.

Instead he watched the flames dancing in the chimney, encased in a metal cage. The orange fire flickered and twitched, tantalizing in its energy and colors, twisting and encouraging Danny to move closer to the warmth, to move with the fluid rhythm of its dance. Danny felt the warmth around him, making his damp clothes cling to him, and idly wondered how close he could get before he was burned.

A movement to his left startled him slightly, pulling his gaze from the fire. Vlad approached, a plate of food in his hands. A sandwich, and some purple grapes. He held a glass of water in his other hand, the coldness causing condensation to form on the surface and slowly drip down.

The man placed the glass and plate before Danny on the coffee table. Danny stared at it, not moving.

“You should eat,” Vlad remarked. Danny noted how the man was no longer in his demon form. He wondered if it was for his benefit or just for convenience. Danny did feel slightly more relaxed around the silver-haired Vlad, as opposed to the one with fangs and eyes like fire. “It’s not poisoned, if that’s what you’re wondering.” The demon chuckled. “We’ve already established I’m too good for such meager mischief.”

Despite his preference to the man in a suit instead of a cape, Danny felt vulnerable and out of place as he sat in the house in his angel form. His wings were spread behind him to the side, along the sofa. They ached in a strange way, similar Danny supposed to when a limb falls asleep. That same painful tingling surged up and down, dull and sharp all at once. His chest felt tight and every time he looked over at his wings, noticing the small patches of missing feathers or the ruffled areas where he had been held and grabbed, he shivered and held back a sob.

Vlad picked up the plate, gently putting it in Danny’s lap, a silent urge to eat. He stood by the couch, arms crossed. Danny sighed, and plucked a grape, popping it into his mouth. “Happy?” he said dryly and chewed. Vlad smirked slightly and nodded.

As Danny began eating, Vlad reached out towards the white wings. Danny froze, heart stopping as he waited for the pain, the attack, the yanking and pulling—

But Vlad’s hand was warm, almost hot, and it ran gently over his feathers, smoothing out the ruffled ones. He petted them softly, slowly, and eventually the tension in Danny relaxed some. He looked down at his plate.

“You killed them? Those demons?” he asked quietly.

“Yes.” The reply was immediate and firm, Vlad’s eyes never leaving the white wings, his hand never pausing in its careful exploration. His tone didn’t hold a single note of remorse or sorrow, but neither did it hold pride or pleased satisfaction; just cold fact.

Danny found his mouth had gone dry. He reached for the water, taking a few quick gulps. The cold liquid almost burned going down, but he didn’t stop until the glass was empty.

“How come they didn’t run off?” Vlad looked towards Danny now, and so the boy continued. “The Mark. A demon named Technus told me about it, ran off because he said you Marked me and so he wasn’t allowed near me. How come _they_ didn’t stop too?”

Vlad reached towards Danny’s face, running his fingers from Danny’s cheek down his neck to the small bitemark scarred there. He traced it lightly. Danny shivered.

“Like humans, there are always demons that don’t follow the rules,” Vlad explained, a tight smile on his lips despite the clear anger in his eyes. “Some that believe they are strong enough to fight whatever demon has left his Mark, or some that are just too stupid to realize they shouldn’t risk it. I’m not sure which category those rats belonged in, but I wish I had had time to make them suffer for this.”

Danny was surprised by the anger in Vlad’s voice. The half-demon always seemed so in control and calm.

“Why do you care? You want to destroy my wings too, don’t you?”

Vlad’s eyes, that had once again been trained on the long white wings, jumped quickly to Danny. He regarded the boy for some time before straightening slightly, taking his hands from the angel. “I need you to understand a few things, Daniel.” Danny paused, and then nodded. “You belong to me, and no body else—no, don’t argue. I know you don’t like hearing that, and you don’t want to believe it, but it’s the truth.” Vlad took a firm hold of Danny’s chin, pulling it up so the boy looked up at Vlad. Danny narrowed his eyes in irritation but jumped slightly when Vlad’s fingers from his free hand moved to once again press the Mark. “And as I’ve told you before as well, I don’t want to destroy your wings at all; I want to taint them.”

Danny turned his head sharply to shake off the man’s grip. “And what exactly do you mean by that?” he asked hotly, glaring at the older man. Vlad had a way of making him feel too many things; something inside him still told him to fear Vlad, the same way children were naturally afraid of loud noises despite their parents insistence that the thunder could not hurt them. But all of Vlad’s actions were the complete opposite of his words. It left Danny feeling like he was treading the open waters, unable to get a grip on anything or his feet on solid ground, dragging under the waters, resurfacing for a few shaky breaths before going back under.

“It’s complicated,” Vlad said eventually, and it wasn’t the response Danny had wanted or expected. “Corruption is something I can help you with, but ultimately, it’s something you must choose for yourself.”

Danny scoffed. He looked down at his plate, slowly pulling the crust from the sandwich. “And why would I ever _choose_ to become “corrupted”?”

“Because then you won’t have to suffer anymore,” Vlad said simply. “What happened today…it shouldn’t have happened; I hadn’t _wanted_ it to happen which was why I Marked you, but it _can_ happen again.” Danny shivered, ducking his head lower so his white bangs would shield the fear in his bright eyes. “Or worse; your family and friends could be hurt, Daniel. They’ve gotten into trouble before, yes? When you were fighting spirits and demons, I’m sure they’ve gotten into the mix?” Danny stared down at his sandwich.

“Staying as you are, with your white wings that every demon wants…you’re a target. But if you take your life into your own hands, if you allow yourself to become corrupted and your wings blackened, the demons will no longer desire you. You’re friends and family will be safe, you’ll be free from fear of attack…and honestly, what do you have to gain by keeping them as they are? God hasn’t been helping you so you don’t owe Him your purity. There are no angels fighting besides you; if there are any others out there, they’re leaving you to fend for yourself. So why should you have to stay good for them? Why should you have to suffer alone when Heaven has turned its back on you already?”

“So you’re telling me you’re only trying to protect me?” Danny said tonelessly, his voice conveying his doubt as he shot Vlad a look.

Vlad smirked, chuckling darkly. “Oh no my dear boy, don’t mistake my words for kindness. I was telling you why _you_ would benefit from this corruption, but that in no way means those are the reasons _I_ want it.” Vlad touched a white feather softly. “To watch these wings blacken…to watch as you willingly destroy something so pure…” Vlad licked his lips. “It would be a delicious sight.”

Thoughts went through Danny’s head, flickering like the flames, bright yet impossible to touch.

“Despite my own motives, I’m sure you realize this would be in your best interest.” Vlad’s words and smooth voice pulled Danny in like the warmth of the fire. Again he wondered how close he could get before being burned…

Danny turned to look up at Vlad, who stood before him, outlined in orange light. His eyes seemed impossibly dark, like the deepest waters of the ocean. Vlad’s hand reached out, his palm cradling Danny’s cheek. It was almost hot but the warmth felt nice as Danny shivered.

He didn’t want to be afraid anymore.

He didn’t want to have to hide.

He didn’t want to keep seeing his friends in trouble with little he could do about it.

He didn’t want to be alone anymore.

Danny closed his eyes. “What would it involve?” he asked quietly, feeling as though he were walking on the edge of a bridge. The roaring of the water below echoed in his ears. Or was that the roar of a burning inferno? Or the pounding of his heart?

“You, giving yourself to me completely. Totally. Admitting that you are mine.” Vlad’s words poured over him, into his ears and through his body, igniting something inside him.

“Will you hurt me?” Danny asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Something was filling him, some feeling that he couldn’t identify. It made his heart beat too fast and made every nerve on his body spark to life.

“Perhaps,” Vlad said honestly, his voice just as hushed, as though speaking too loudly would burst the air between them. “A bit of pain will be worth the end to your endless suffering. To the protection of your loved ones.”

Danny opened his eyes slowly, feeling a lightness come over him as he stepped off the bridge. He looked up at Vlad and nodded, knowing that even with damaged, blackened wings, he was willing to fall.

…

Danny was led upstairs, down a long hallway, lightly lit. Vlad opened the door at the end of the hall. It opened like the gapping entrance to a fiery pit.

Danny stepped inside, flinching slightly when the door clicked shut. Vlad came up behind him, putting his hands on Danny’s shoulders. He carefully stirred the tired angel towards the bed. The boy sat, briefly noting how soft the mattress was, sinking down, inviting Danny to lay back and sleep until he forgot everything.

It was dark, heavy curtains drawn to cover where a no doubt large window would be on the wall. Vlad moved around the room with silent steps, waving his hand idly. Candles burst to life in a small blaze of orange, until the room was illuminated in a soft wavering glow from the dozen candles. Danny wanted to make a comment about demon’s being hopeless romantics, but the words never found their way out as Danny stared at the candle closest to him.

It sat on the nightstand, the candle tall and thick, frozen drops lining the edges from previous use. The flame danced just like the fire from the chimney downstairs. Danny moved to the center of the bed, bringing his knees up as he watched the candle, leaning his cheek against his knee. The rhythm of the flame mesmerized him, calming his thoughts and nerves.

The bed dipped to the left as Vlad joined him.

“Do your wings hurt?” he asked. Danny shrugged slightly. They still did, in that strange pulsing ache. “Put them away then. Let them rest.”

Danny looked at Vlad. “I thought the point was to taint them.”

Vlad chuckled, kicking off his shoes as he got closer to Danny, careful of his wings. “I don’t need to physically do anything to your wings. Those wings are a part of _you,_ Daniel. Your arm is not separate from yourself and it’s the same with your wings. If I taint the human, the angel will feel its effects as well. You’re human just as much as you’re angel. Just because you can’t see the wings, doesn’t mean you’re not an angel. Just like how if you can’t see my fangs, that doesn’t mean I’m not a monster.” Vlad’s irises glowed red briefly, the shadows and orange light playing off his face, creating an eerie mask on the handsome features.

“You’re not a monster,” Danny said, eyes never leaving Vlad’s face. Vlad chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re not,” Danny insisted. “You act like you are, and you definitely _look_ like one but…I mean, you’re part human, like me, right? So there’s some good in you.” Vlad laughed again and Danny felt his face heat up as he glared at the man. Vlad pulled one of Danny’s ankles and Danny yelped as he flopped onto his back. Vlad hovered over Danny on all fours, Danny staring up in surprise. He narrowed his eyes. “Don’t try to intimidate me, Plasmius. You saved me from those demons! You could have let them hurt me more, or you could have just taken over where they left off! You could just do whatever you like but you’re not! You’re here saying this is for my benefit—”

“Don’t mistake my words Daniel, I’ve clearly expressed my reasons and intentions and they haven’t changed.” Vlad gripped Danny’s hair, his hold firm but not painful as he leaned down, forcing Danny to keep his head up facing Vlad. The man leaned close. “I want to see you tainted, blackened, corrupted.” Danny’s heart faltered and his skin prickled as Vlad’s lips touched the Mark on his neck.

In his panic, Danny’s body glowed brightly as he shifted back to his human form, his wings disappearing and the hair in Vlad’s fingers darkening to black. “Beautiful,” Vlad murmured against the human skin, and Danny was reminded of the day when he received the Mark. “I want to see you painted black and blue, in my colors…” Vlad chuckled softly as his free left hand trailed down Danny’s clothed chest. “Lets get you out of these church clothes…they have no place here.” Long fingers popped open each button easily, slowly, until Danny’s stomach and chest were exposed to the demon.

“I want to see you writhing.”

As though to demonstrate, he bite Danny lightly over the Mark. His teeth, though still sharp, weren’t the feared fangs in this form, and so no blood was drawn. Vlad grazed his teeth down to Danny’s chest, biting a small nipple.

“Ow!” Danny yelped, more out of surprise than actual pain.

Vlad grinned smugly, licking that spot with the flat of his tongue, a hot wet apology that had Danny twisting, his mouth pressed into a flat line.

“I want to run my fingers over every part of you, mark every inch of your skin so there is no question from you or anyone to whom you now belong.” Vlad’s tongue, hard and hot and wet, trailed from Danny’s navel, where it dipped briefly, up the center of his stomach and chest, to the hollow of the boy’s neck. Danny arched slightly, feeling familiar stirrings in his lower abdomen. He pressed his knees together but Vlad moved quickly, catching one knee in his hand and lifting it, separating the boy’s legs so he could kneel between them.

Danny whimpered, putting his hands to Vlad’s arms, feeling hard muscle under the expensive material of his shirt. Vlad’s eyes were so dark, almost black with a small flicker of the fire reflected in them. He hovered over Danny, chest broad, blocking out everything; the room, the light, the world.

Vlad put a hand under Danny, flat against his bare back, lifting slightly so he could properly remove the dress shirt. He flung it off the bed and stared down at Danny with naked hunger. Danny wanted to cover himself, pull a blanket over his chest but he remained motionless. It was like being caught under the paw of a lion; he didn’t dare breathe for fear of inciting the beast to attack.

The demon traced his pointer finger over Danny’s body, patterns and designs that sent the angel’s skin crawling with sensation. Vlad hooked his fingers into Danny’s dress pants, pulling them down. Vlad grinned down at the front of Danny’s now exposed boxers, seeing the clear interest. Danny covered his eyes with his arm, his face burning as Vlad moved to completely remove the gray pants. Danny felt Vlad’s heavy suited body cover his. A warm hand stroked gently over Danny’s left thigh, the fingers brushing the leg of his boxers. His hand moved up and down, soothingly, inching further and further up with each stroke. Vlad’s mouth moved back to Danny’s Mark, mouthing at it softly, licking with a curious tongue and pressing his blunt teeth to it as his hand moved into the leg of Danny’s shorts.

The boy was trapped, gripping Vlad’s shoulders tightly, wanting to push him away but unable to as every part of him screamed for more. Danny’s boxers bunched at his hip on the left side as Vlad’s hand made its way up into his underwear, fingers gliding over the soft skin of his thigh and hip. The boy squirmed and whimpered, the hot tongue by his ear only further adding to the torture.

Everything was too hot. Vlad’s clothed body against his almost entirely bare one was an unfamiliar feeling that had his heart pounding to an erratic, over-excited pace. He felt it drumming in his ears, swore Vlad could feel his heart beating in his chest, his hands trembling slightly as he kept a hard grip on Vlad.

“Ah, yes. I love it,” Vlad whispered, leaning up just enough to look down at the boy. “The innocence on your face…the fear…the nervous hunger…I can’t wait to see that innocence gone, I can’t wait to rip it from you, hard and deep and fast until you’re crying for it, begging for it, desperate for me to paint my colors over you, inside and out.” Vlad’s hand gripped Danny’s cock inside his boxers and the boy threw his head back. “You’ll learn to love this, the feeling of being corrupted. The dirty, painful, dark acts that will soon leave you trembling for me, aching for more darkness to fill you.”

He was hard and Vlad’s hand was so hot and large, holding him firmly before stroking up and down. His grip was so tight, almost too much and the warmth was almost scolding as he stroked Danny, his thumb roughly smearing the fluid on the tip. Danny’s thighs trembled and he gasped and whined, his vision blurring until all the candles faded together around him, making the room look as though it were ablaze, with Vlad center.

Danny felt sweat gathering on his forehead and skin, the pleasure running from his groin up throughout his body like a wild fire. He tensed and twisted, wanting Vlad to stop but never wanting him to let go.

Vlad used his right hand to pull the boxers down behind Danny, exposing his ass to the cool sheet. Vlad swiftly handled the boy as though he were a doll, weightlessly moving so Danny’s legs draped open, his hips raising slightly.

Vlad put his right hand to Danny’s open mouth, sticking two fingers in. Danny closed his mouth immediately, looking up at Vlad. Vlad’s left hand paused and a pain filled Danny as his need for movement increased. The boy sucked on the fingers, hoping to encourage the demon. Vlad smiled, and continued to stroke briskly.

Vlad pulled his wet fingers out and moved them down behind Danny.  

Danny’s breath was coming out in gasps and when he was breeched by one of those long fingers— fingers that had ran gentle over the boy’s skin, that he’d seen used to screw in a bolt or type quickly over the lab’s computer, that Danny had idly thought would best be used on a piano—Danny stopped breathing all together.

“Don’t tense,” Vlad breathed into his ear, Danny’s skin prickling uncomfortably as he shook, feeling the intrusion move deeper. His walls clamped and the tightness pinched, his face screwing up in pain. Vlad didn’t speak again, instead, pressing his nose into Danny’s neck, his free hand still working Danny’s prick, which had softened slightly from the pain. Slowly, with the stimulation on his prick and Vlad’s gentle coaxing, Vlad was able to move his finger deeper, out and in a few times before daring to put in a second one.

Danny, having gotten partially used to having something inside him, merely clenched Vlad’s shoulders, nails biting into the expensive material. Vlad’s fingers were relentless, moving deeper than Danny thought possible, working him open until he was squirming, tendrils of pleasure flaring out from the pain. Danny’s whimpers turned from gentle agony to harsh gasps for more.

All at once, all stimulation was gone. Vlad pulled his fingers out, took his hand away from Danny’s crotch and sat up, away from the boy. Danny shivered, suddenly feeling cold and empty, his brain spinning too fast like the machine’s at the carnival that make fluffy sugar on a stick.

Vlad shrugged off his black suit jacket, ripping off the ribbon around his neck and unbuttoning his dress shirt without taking it off. He pulled Danny’s shorts from his legs and then the man was covering Danny again. The boy groaned loudly, clawing at the man, whose bare skin now pressed to his naked form. Vlad was so hot, like fire roared just under his pale skin, the hard muscle made of burning iron instead of flesh. Vlad’s mouth was on Danny’s, stealing his breath, lips pressing and separating, Danny’s mouth tasted deeply. They panted against each other, Vlad’s hands feeling every inch of skin, rubbing and pressing and kneading, thumbs teasing his nipples, digging into his hips, moving under his knees and lifting his legs up and wide.

Vlad sat up slightly again, his mouth open as he caught his breath, lips red and shining, some hair spilling like silver from the black ribbon. “I wish you could see yourself right now,” Vlad said, voice rough, like he’d just woke from a long deep sleep. Danny could only imagine how he looked, spread wide and vulnerable, exposed and naked, skin coated in sweat and flushed, shivering and trembling under the burning eyes of a demon, chest heaving… “God, I can’t wait to see that innocent expression twisted in pleasure as I take you…devour you…”

Vlad undid his belt, pulling it slowly from each loop, tossing it off the bed with a sharp clank.

Danny felt the world like a warm haze; heard a button pop and the shy sharp noise of a zipper. He felt his lower half shifted by strong hands, his thighs positioned on either side of a slim waist. Something blunt and wet, thicker than a finger, pushed against him. He groaned and then opened his mouth in a silent cry as the demon pushed in completely. It was slow, but hard until finally hot tears streamed from Danny’s shut eyes and Vlad’s hips were pressed firmly to his. The feeling was too much, so overwhelming that Danny couldn’t stop shaking and crying; the feeling of Vlad inside him, too full and too hot. Vlad didn’t move, the full feeling stretching Danny’s insides, the feeling of the man, solid, warm, real between his legs, Vlad’s chest heaving against his own, feeling of flesh and sweat.

Vlad leaned down, body covering Danny’s once more as their chests pressed together. Vlad took Danny’s wrists, holding them hard above their heads. The man was heavy on him and the feel inside him pinned the angel, trapped him, burned him. His mind couldn’t focus on anything but the feelings and the heat and the wetness, couldn’t remember their names, what they were, who they were. It no longer mattered as long as Danny was suffering in this bliss with someone beside him.

Vlad’s hips ground down into Danny, who cried out feebly. The man grunted and moved, a slow precise rocking of his hips, flesh dragging against flesh. It picked up quickly, Danny’ hips aching with the force of Vlad’s movements. Danny was pushed up the bed, his head hitting against the pillows behind him and he struggled to catch his breath. It was fast and hard, their hips and pelvis’ rubbing together, the forceful ache of what was inside him driving him mad as he tried to understand if this hurt or felt good, and the pressure built quickly until it burst. Danny gasped and arched upward at a particularly brutal push, twisting as his cock shook and spurted hot and white onto his stomach and chest.

Vlad pushed on, grunting quietly at the spasms and clenching of Danny’s insides. Danny briefly feared the feeling would grow torturous as his over sensitive body screamed for the stimulation to stop.

Vlad’s moves stuttered and mercifully stopped, his hips pressed tightly to Danny’s as the boy was over filled, something scorching him, causing Danny to cry out weakly. Vlad heaved a thick sigh, groaning as his tense shoulders relaxed. He sat back on his calves, his cock pulling out limply and a strange wet feeling leaked out between Danny’s sore cheeks.

Danny closed his eyes, a heavy fatigue falling over him, making his body sink into the soft mattress, his eyelids unable to stay open. He felt a solid, warm body move beside him, felt something soft covering him, but his mind was spinning and his body refused to move.

The gentle pop and snap of the burning candles, the faint smell of smoke, the glowing behind his eyelids and a warmth so gentle…if the room were to become a blazing inferno, Danny didn’t think he would be able to stand. He didn’t think he’d have the energy to care. He would lay in this soft bed beside the demon who wished to devour his soul, and he’d allow himself to burn.

The angel fell, into a deep sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, I'm actually publishing this chapter on time! This is the first time ever that I've published explicit content like this,, yeesh. As you guys can see, this is a big turning point in the story, not only plot-wise but rating-wise ;D you all read the tags, so you should have known it was coming eventually.
> 
> Writing fanfiction for me is not only just about my love for fandom and these characters and writing in general, but its also practice for me. I want to write my own books one day so if you guys could give any kind of crticism (polite of course) that would always be appreciated. If a scene doesn't make sense or sounds awkward, if something in the plot is weird, general grammar or spelling mistakes, or if I'm doing something good, just let me know! ^^
> 
> Also, in case you ever wonder when I have updated, if you leave a comment, I most likely will respond to that comment the day I'm going to update xD I sign in, comment on the last chapter comments and then post the new one, all in the same day, just a little fyi and motivation to leave a comment ;D
> 
> Thank you all so much for your continued support and interest! :D I'm glad most of you are keeping up and getting really curious about whats to come, makes updating that much more fun as questions get answered little by little.
> 
> See you guys next week!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I don't know what your destiny will be, but  
> one thing I do know: the only ones among  
> you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve."
> 
> -Albert Schweitzer

Danny woke with a start, that horrible sensation of _falling_ jolting him from sleep, his eyes snapping open as his heart pounded a frightening beat. It relaxed slowly when he realized he was laying safely in bed, but the unfamiliarity of the room and the deep ache of his muscles made his heart rocket back into overdrive.

He turned his head to the right and stopped breathing all together.

Vlad lay sleeping beside him, the man resting on his front, his chin buried in the pillow with his arms under the pillow, looking far too comfortable.

Danny sucked in a silent breath but suddenly couldn’t seem to stop. His breathing was fast and shallow, his chest heaving as panic filled him. He turned away as his eyes welled with tears.

What had he done? He remembered vaguely the night before but it was like grasping at a quickly vanishing dream. Everything had seemed so foggy at the time and remembering details felt like Danny was trying to catch a butterfly with his bare hands.

How could he have done this? How did he allow his enemy—a demon!— to seduce him into bed, make him feel pleasure where pain and fear should have been, allowed himself to be corrupted—

Danny jumped when a hand was suddenly pressed to his chest. He looked quickly toward Vlad, who’s eyes were open and regarding Danny with focused, albeit tired attention. Vlad’s palm burned into Danny’s skin, right above his heart. Danny was positive Vlad felt the trembling of his body and the hammering of his heart, and it made the boy feel ashamed and vulnerable.

Vlad’s hand moved up to Danny’s face, wiping a tear away with the pad of his thumb, not exactly gently, but not roughly either. Similar to a mother rubbing dirt from her child’s face. Vlad pushed himself up and turned so he sat beside Danny, leaning against the headboard and pillow. The blanket pooled in his lap. Vlad still wore his white dress shirt, the buttons opened to reveal pale skin, hard muscle, sparse silver hairs between pink nipples and faint white scars that marked randomly up and down his torso. Danny had a sudden urge to touch them, study them and feel the smooth rise of them under his fingertips. He averted his eyes quickly, not moving from his lying position.

“I…should go,” Danny said, his voice a strained whisper. He sat up but a strong hand wrapped around his. He tensed.

“No,” Vlad said. “You’ll stay here.” Danny didn’t say anything, but his chest felt tight. “You don’t need to be ashamed about what happened—”

“Don’t I?” Danny asked, his voice cracking as tears quickly welled in his eyes again. Despite being overemotional most of the time, Danny rarely cried, and this sudden uncontrollable surge of physical emotion was both scary and irritating. He bit his lip, trying to contain his sobs and he wiped at his eyes harshly with the back of his hand and palm.

“No,” Vlad said firmly, his grip tightening. “Look at me.”

Danny shook his head, his shoulders tense and shaking as he shook. He felt dirty. He felt ashamed and guilty. His chest heaved and he bit his lip till it ached. What had he done? Not only had he just had sex with an older man, his parents’ college friend, his enemy—he had it with a demon who had repeatedly said he only wished to see Danny corrupted.

“Daniel. Look at me.” When Danny didn’t turn around, he heard Vlad huff in annoyance, and the bed dipped as Vlad leaned closer. His hand rounded, grabbing Danny’s chin and yanking his head to the side, causing Danny to turn his body so his neck wouldn’t be forced at an odd angle.

“Let me—”

“No. You’re not going to sit here feeling ashamed. You made a decision.”

“I wasn’t thinking clearly! I shouldn’t have—I wouldn’t have—”

“I admit, I may have taken advantage of your emotional state last night. You were in a sensitive place, hurt physically and emotionally. You were looking for comfort and I was there. So you turned to me. But the fact still remains, you made a decision last night. You chose me, and gave yourself to me.” Danny, now partly facing Vlad, his chin still in the man’s hand, stared into deep blue eyes. “You gave something to me that you can’t take back. You’ve done something irreversible. So whether you would have made that same choice again or not no longer matters; it happened, and you can’t go back.”

Danny’s eyes widened slightly. He grit his teeth, moved his head from the grip. “But I can chose to stop now.”

“No. Because last night, you gave yourself to me. It’s already started Daniel, and there’s nothing you can do about it. You’re mine.”

Danny suddenly had an image, of his wings. If he released them now, would they be black? Would they be dark and sinister now, like those of a monster? How was he going to show his face to friends? They would see them, and know what he’d done. All the spirits would know who he belonged to.

Danny shook his head, covering his face with his hands. He was pulled forward, against Vlad’s hard chest, strong arms holding him. Not trapping him, Danny realized. He didn’t feel like Vlad was holding him so he wouldn’t run. It felt…different. Not comforting exactly..

“You don’t need to feel ashamed or guilty. And you don’t need to worry. Not anymore. In exchange for your soul, I am taking that all away from you. Give yourself over to me, let me worry and decide and chose. Remember why you chose this last night. Because you were tired of fearing and fighting.” Vlad pulled away, and Danny suddenly missed the warmth of his embrace. “And what’s so wrong with what we did?” Vlad smirked slightly. “It felt nice, didn’t it? I enjoyed it.”

Vlad leaned back slightly, against the pillows, pulling Danny forward with him. Danny, realizing he was still completely naked, squirmed slightly, embarrassed as he tried to cover himself. Vlad tutted with a smile, put a hand under Danny’s knee and lifted up so Danny was now straddling Vlad. Danny blushed deeply and leaned forward, burying his face in Vlad’s shoulder. Memories floating through his mind; feelings he’d felt, the noises he’d made…His face burned as he remembered it all. _Had_ he enjoyed it?

Vlad’s hands rubbed his bare back, moving down to Danny’s ass. The boy jumped as large warm hands kneaded his flesh. In this position, Danny’s cheeks were spread slightly, exposing himself completely.

Last night, shrouded in grief and darkness, Danny had felt braver and reckless. Now, with light filtering through the heavy curtains, the candles dark and cold with the wax drips frozen in place, and the faint sound of birds, he felt more exposed and small. Danny tried to sit up but Vlad’s left hand went to his shoulder blades and pushed down, holding Danny down against his chest. His right hand moved between the crease on Danny’s bottom, teasing the top and sliding down, over his open hole. Danny wiggled and whimpered, unable to rise up and unable to close his legs, forced open for the man’s pleasure.

“This is your choice, remember,” Vlad muttered in Danny’s ear. His finger run up and down, slowly, pausing briefly each time at the small hole, pressing and rubbing gently before moving on. Danny felt his cock, pressed between his belly and Vlad’s abdomen, stiffening rapidly. “If you want me to stop, you need only say so.”

Danny pressed his mouth against Vlad’s shoulder as the finger pushed at his hole. It didn’t go in, but the pressure made Danny almost whine for it to. The finger disappeared, suddenly pressing lightly at Danny’s lips.

The boy looked at Vlad’s face, his deep eyes asking. Danny knew he needed to make a choice now, in the light of day, before the demon, with his mind clear. He needed to choose.

Danny opened his open, and Vlad smiled, slipping his two fingers into the wet mouth. Danny closed his lips, running his tongue over the long fingers, tasting Vlad’s skin, sucking lightly. Vlad’s eyes suddenly darkened and he pulled his fingers out, moved his hand back downward, his middle finger pressing and rubbing until the muscles loosened enough for the finger to slip in slightly.

“Stay relaxed,” Vlad instructed softly, rubbing Danny’s back. The finger slipped in more. It was tight and a bit dry. Danny felt his cheeks burn. He gripped Vlad’s open shirt as Vlad moved his finger in and out. It was awkward, having the man’s finger inside his ass, laying on top of the man in the early morning.

A second finger and Danny groaned, shaking slightly.

Vlad pulled away, but kept his hand on Danny’s back. His other hand was doing something behind Danny. He heard a zipper and then a few moments later, he felt the hot member rubbing against his ass. Danny groaned, his hips twitching.

Vlad’s hips moved slowed, leisurely up and down, his cock rubbing between Danny’s cheek. The man reached out to the side table, grabbing a small bottle. He clicked it open, pouring a small amount of the liquid into his palm before putting it back. Danny felt Vlad’s hands behind him again, rubbing at his cock efficiently before putting his hands on Danny’s shoulder, pushing him up to sit up.

Danny understood, but he didn’t want it this way. He wanted Vlad to take charge, like he’d promised. He wanted to just lie back and let the demon do what he pleased. But Vlad was making a point. Danny had to choose, had to give himself over willingly. He had to allow himself to be corrupted.

So the boy sat up, moving back slightly, feeling his blush spread from his ears down his face to his chest. Vlad helped, holding the base of his cock, allowing Danny to align himself. He lowered, the head against his hole. He breathed out, sinking, Vlad’s hands moving to his hips. The head slipped in and Danny tensed, pain spreading from his abdomen through his thighs and up his body, immobilizing him.

Vlad rubbed his hands up and down the angel’s body. “Keep going.”

Danny tried, but a sharp pain stopped him. “It hurts,” he said softly, trying to keep his voice from breaking.

“Relax.”

Danny breathed out again and sank down more. It was slow, the process mostly painful. This position seemed to allow the dick to go in deeper, much deeper than Danny felt he could handle. He squirmed and shook but continued with Vlad’s gentle coaxing until finally Danny was seated completely, his ass against Vlad’s opened trousers. Anytime he’d seen woman do this online, it had seemed so easy…

“So good, my little angel,” Vlad muttered, voice thick with need. Danny saw a flushed pink tinge on the man’s face, felt his hands squeeze the boy’s hips before he rolled his hips up, grinding into Danny. The boy yelped, and as Vlad continued the motion— rhythmic and even and deep—Danny felt the pain subside to a dull ache. Vlad gripped his hips firmly, pulling Danny up until Danny thought the tip would pull out, but then Vlad pulled Danny down hard, impaling him. The tip of the dick hit something inside Danny that made his gut clench and his head throw back.

His breathing came out in rapid breaths and his hips started moving with Vlad, trying to keep that feeling, clinging to it. Their movements grew fast and sharp, Danny bouncing on the man’s hips, Vlad groaning as Danny began doing most of the work. The boy leaned his hands on Vlad’s chest, feeling Vlad’s dick against the soft walls inside him, hitting that spot, making Danny moan quietly, whimpering.

He reached between them, rubbing himself in his fist until he sat firmly and came hard.

Vlad followed shortly after, gripping Danny’s hips hard, ramming up into him enough times to make the boy bounce and groan, whining until he felt the hot wetness inside him. Danny leaned forward, his hands on Vlad’s chest, panting gently. Vlad’s chest rose and fell quickly as well. Danny, still seated on Vlad’s lap, could feel Vlad still inside him, softening.

He whimpered and lifted his hips until the man slipped out, a thin stream of cum leaking from Danny’s hole. The boy blushed hotly, suddenly feeling dirty and uncomfortable and embarrassed by the whole thing.

He looked away, awkwardly climbing off the older man, his hips, thighs and ass aching. He sat on the edge of the bed, his feet dangling. He felt more vulnerable than merely his nudity would suggest; sitting in someone’s home, in their bed, his ass wet with cum and lube now staining the sheets, his skin smelling of sweat—his own and someone else’s.

Danny felt dirty. He felt used. He felt cheap and small and stupid.

Before the thoughts could run wild and make him dissolve once more into a pathetic body of sobs, strong arms circled around his chest, under his arm. He was pulled back slightly, so he leaned against a larger still mostly clothed body.

“You made your choice. And you don’t need to be ashamed of it,” Vlad said, his voice not unkind; low but firm. Danny felt the man rest his chin on the boy’s hair, his embrace strong. They were quiet a moment, Danny allowing himself to calm, the embrace helping to center him, the warmth comforting. “You smell. You should go take a shower.”

Danny heard the humor in the voice. He scoffed, pulling away from the man, standing and turning to face Vlad with a glare. His anger dissolved once more into embarrassment when he saw the attractive older demon leaning on his palms on the bed, his shirt still open to reveal his chest, his trousers still unbuttoned and pushed low on his hips, hair loose and spilling over his shoulder, a lazy satisfied smirk on his pink lips.

“Ass,” Danny muttered, quickly grabbing his clothes from the ground, using them to cover himself as he hurried to the bathroom.  He closed the door behind him, waiting.

He listened, but didn’t hear Vlad say anything more, or hear him move around. The tension left his shoulders as he realized Vlad was allowing him this moment to himself. Danny put his clothes down on the counter and hopped into the shower, turning the overhead on. Cold water poured over him harshly, making him shiver and tense up. But gradually the water turned warm, almost hot and Danny sighed as the pressured stream soothed away the tension. But the water burned, and Danny again started thinking about last night…and just a few minutes ago.

Danny quickly turned the faucet freezing again, shivering but enjoying the cold water’s effect of clearing his mind and cleansing his body.

He glanced at the products on the shower’s shelf. A lot of hair products, Danny noticed. Danny’s mind immediately went to the object of these products; thick silver hair, soft in his grip, pulled from the neat ribbon…

Danny looked away and grabbed the soap, not caring when he noticed the lack of a sponge, not thinking about the fact that Vlad probably ran this very bar along every inch of his body, not caring that it smelled like the man’s skin…

Danny rinsed, wiping at his face before turning off the shower and stepping out. He wiped the fog, staring at himself in the mirror. He should have seen something…some change. Suddenly his whole world was turned upside down, his mind in chaos…he had done something irreversible and horrible. He expected to see it on his face, like the scarlet A or the mark of Cain, some kind of visible proof of the darkness no doubt now curling inside him.

But he only saw himself staring back, the same boy he’d seen yesterday and last week, and on and on. He noticed fear in his eyes, subtly but there. He saw small bite marks, bruises shaped like hands and fingers but all of them were light, and would fade within the week.

He dressed slowly, thankful for the cover but not exactly eager to go out and face Vlad after all this.

His clothes still had a slight dampness to them, something that peaked Danny’s curiosity because he swore he had been in his angel form last night in the rain when…

_Ripping._

_Pulling._

_Laughing._

_Pain._

Danny closed his eyes tightly, shoving the panic away, forcing himself to take slow deep breaths to stop the racing of his heart.

Vlad had said that Danny’s angel and human forms were connected. So Danny figured it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch on the imagination for his clothes to get wet in his human form when he was in his angel form.

Thinking about this meaningless stuff…remembering Vlad’s words…it calmed Danny. He shook slightly as the memories of that incident bleed from the edges of his thoughts. He hurried out the door to see the bedroom empty. He left into the hallway, all the way down and then down the vast staircase, nearly tripping over his feet as he rushed into the nearest doorway. The kitchen.

Vlad turned with a look of surprise, seeing Danny rushing into the room. “Got lost?” Vlad teased lightly, an eyebrow quirked curiously.

Danny’s nerves softened, his heart relaxing slightly with Vlad now in sight. The memories were only memories. Nothing bad would happen again, not now, not that he was with—

Danny stopped that train of thought with a screech.

“Sit down. I made something for you to eat before you go to school,” Vlad said, pointing a spatula at the empty kitchen island.

“School?” Danny said and then gasped. “School! Crap that’s right, today’s Monday! What time is it?”

“9:45,” Vlad said, his back facing Danny as he prepared the food.

“I’m late then!” Danny groaned. “I’m missing my first class now, and I don’t even have my backpack—and my clothes, I’m still in church clothes, I can’t—”

“Here you go, boss,” said a voice with a thick accent and suddenly a large bird was in the kitchen, dropping Danny’s backpack down with a heavy thud by Vlad’s feet. Danny noticed the green feathers and immediately tensed.

“Hey, you’re the bird that’s been following me around everywhere!” Danny accused. The large bird turned tired solid red eyes towards Danny. Danny looked to Vlad. “It works for _you!?”_

“It!?” the bird squawked incredulously, its feathers ruffling as it turned to fully face Danny. “I’ll have you know, you annoying little child, that I’m—”

“Leaving.” Vlad’s voice was firm. The bird looked to Vlad briefly before scoffing and flapping its massive wings, soaring through the ceiling.

“What is that thing?” Danny demanded. “A spirit?”

“Yes, he works for me. He’s one of my “familiars”, so to speak.”

“You mean like Youngblood and _his_ bird.”

“Similar, I suppose. I’ve got three vultures that work for me, completing tasks and errands.” Danny stared pointedly at Vlad and Vlad eventually chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. “And yes, I may have sent one of them to follow you around, to keep tabs on you. Just to make sure none of the spirits were encroaching on my territory.”

“ _That’s_ how you’ve been appearing so _conveniently_ during fights,” Danny muttered, ignoring the territory comment for the time being. He found himself more annoyed than creeped out actually by the fact that he’s been watched and followed all week. Maybe it was because Danny figured as much, judging by Vlad’s appearances all this time, so it wasn’t much of a surprise.

“Yes. You’re welcome,” Vlad smirked, handing Danny a plate with scrabbles eggs, toast and two strawberries.

Danny glared at the plate a moment. His stomach grumbled audibly, so he took the plate with a huff, sitting at the table. Vlad followed shortly after, putting a cup of orange juice beside Danny’s breakfast. Vlad sat down, a steaming coffee mug in his hands. He sipped slowly, dark eyes trained on Danny.

“What?” Danny finally said with a mouth full of toast. It was hard to eat when a demon is staring at you with eyes as sharp as pins.

“Just trying to figure out if you still regret what happened. What’s happening.”

Danny dropped his eyes down to his food. His throat was dry as he tried to swallow the toast. He took a few large gulps of the juice before firmly putting down the cup and saying in a stable voice, “Of course I do.”

“Why?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Danny exclaimed, shooting Vlad a look.

Vlad sighed, putting his mug down. “Just finish up your breakfast before you’re even later for class.”

“You’re really gonna take me to school after all this?”

Apparently he was. Once Danny had finished his breakfast, Vlad took his dishes, put them in the sink and instructed Danny to change into the clothes in his backpack. Apparently he had also instructed his bird friend to grab some clothes from Danny’s room along with the backpack. Danny would have almost been grateful for that until he remembered that since birds didn’t have to wear clothes, they weren’t exactly the best at picking them out.

“I look ridiculous,” Danny muttered, now dressed in jeans and his giftshop T-shirt from NASA, which would have been fine if not for the fact that he got this shirt when he was much younger and so it featured the NASA logo with a cartoon rocket ship smiling a large cheesy grin.

Vlad, hand covering his mouth, stared at Danny a moment, his eyes shining with mirth. “You look fine, my boy. Let’s get going.” Danny blushed lightly at the laugh in the man’s voice.

He ushered the boy out the door, to a black town car waiting on the street side. Vlad and Danny got into the back seat, Vlad giving the driver the address to Casper High School before the car took off.

The ride was quiet. Vlad didn’t say anything to Danny, just staring out the window, his chin resting on his palm. Danny stayed silent as well, not knowing what to say as well as not really wanting to talk much anyway. His thoughts were too busy spinning and tumbling over each other, so that occupied his time until the car finally stopped off at the front of the school.

Danny stared out the window a moment at Casper High, suddenly feeling a little awkward about this whole thing. What was he supposed to say? See you later? Thanks? Thanks for what exactly; breakfast? Driving him to school? Fucking him?

Danny shook his head fiercely, opening the door and exiting quickly, slamming it shut before anyone could say a thing and hurrying to the front door of the school. The teacher on duty at the front signed him in, accepting his late excuse of missing the bus, and then writing him a hall pass to get to class.

Danny spent the day focusing more on his classes and work than he probably has the whole year. He didn’t allow himself to daydream, or get distracted. He knew it would lead his mind back to Vlad, and what they had done. He tried not to over think it and allow himself to pretend it never happened. If he didn’t think about it, it would never happen again and then it wouldn’t matter.

But when he ran into Sam and Tucker during lunch, he realized pretending wasn’t going to make it go away.

“Danny, where were you during Civics?”

“And what are you _wearing_?”

“Uh right, I wasn’t feeling too well this morning and I was running late so I just threw on the first shirt I could find. My mom dropped me off a little while ago with a note,” Danny said quickly, avoiding eye contact as he sat down at the lunch table.

“Stomach bug maybe? I think it’s going around or something, my mom was sick this morning too. I had thought it was cause of my dad’s cooking but it could just be a virus,” Tucker explained, not catching onto Danny’s behavior as he sat beside his best friend.

“We can reschedule studying after school if you’re not feeling well,” Sam suggested, eying Danny with concern.

“No no, I’m fine now. Morning sickness, or something.”

“You do realize that’s what women get sometimes when they’re pregnant, right?” Sam said with a laugh. Danny blushed, glancing away.

Danny wasn’t necessarily lying. He did feel sick. Sitting there beside his friends, he felt like there was a big stain on him, like they would be able to physically see what he’d done. He knew no marks were visible, not even the actual Mark on his neck, and all the bites and bruises were covered by clothes, but he just felt like it was obvious to everyone.

The fear slowly creeped back into him, the fear that if he revealed his wings, they may be blackened. His heart sank now that his friends sat beside him; imagining their reactions when they saw his wings, saw what he’d done to them. They’d realize that he’d allowed himself to be tainted and corrupted, by a demon.

“Danny? You sure you’re okay? You look pale.”

Danny got up quickly from his seat, hurrying to the trash can by the doors to the school, heaving his breakfast into the garbage.

…

Danny lay curled up on his bed, the blanket pulled up over his head. The nurse had called his parents, informing them Danny wasn’t well. They had rushed over in the supped up RV, bursting into the nurse’s office in a flurry of orange and teal spandex, cooing over Danny and hurrying him home, Jack blaming spirits and demons the whole way. Danny only blamed himself.

His parents didn’t much comment on his not being home last night. It seemed that they assumed Danny stayed the night at Sam’s, which they normally would have been upset about on a school night but due to his illness, Maddie was babying her son. No room for anger.

A knock on the door made Danny lift the blanket, glancing over as the door opened. Jaz entered first, followed by Sam and Tucker.

“Guys? You both didn’t have to come by. I’m okay, really.”

“We just wanted to make sure,” Sam said, shrugging off her backpack. She pulled out a notebook with bats drawn on the cover. “Here’s the notes from Civics. We’re having a test tomorrow.”

Danny smiled slightly. “Thanks.”

“Need anything, Little brother?” Jaz asked, moving to the side of the bed and putting her hand on Danny’s forehead. The boy shook his head.

“Keep in touch on your computer since you, you know, _broke_ your phone,” Tucker said, glancing slightly towards Jazz, not wanting to mention any tech demons in front of her.

Danny nodded.

Sam and Tucker left with a wave.

“I’ll go get you something to eat, Danny,” Jazz said with a small grin, leaving and closing the door behind her.

Danny laid back down, face buried in his pillow. His stomach still felt in knots and his head was spinning. He closed his eyes, hoping to fall into sleep so as not to feel so miserable and forget everything for a few blissful hours..

“Seems you _are_ darkening…you’re beginning to lie to your friends.” Danny jumped, sitting up quickly to see the blue skinned demon leaning against the wall by the window, arms folded over his chest. He sent Danny a pointed smirk. “As I recall, you used to tell your friends everything, and now you’re lying to them.”

“I’m not—“

“And you’re making yourself sick because of it,” Vlad said, his voice a little less teasing. Piercing red eyes pinned Danny down, and then the demon moved closer. He put his hand to Danny’s forehead briefly, then down to his cheek. Even threw the glove, Danny could feel the warmth, and he leaned into it subtly.

Vlad smiled slightly, leaning down and Danny gasped lightly when the hot lips were on his, slow for only a moment before they grew hungry, greedy, the man’s tongue tasting and his sharp teeth nipping. Danny whimpered slightly, feeling Vlad’s hand move to the back of his neck, holding him as he was devoured. Danny reached out, scared but not drawing away. The pain in his chest was too much, and Vlad seemed to be the only thing that quelled it. But Vlad was consuming him, only desiring to enhance the pain. It was all senseless, circling on itself over and over; Danny gripped Vlad’s arms tightly, the one source of stability in all this chaos, despite that stability being the center of the cyclone…

There were footsteps on the stairs. Vlad smirked as he pulled away, Danny whimpering quietly. Vlad’s voice was hushed as he said, “Remember my angel…you belong to me now. It’s easier this way, so lay yourself down for me. Allow me to consume you, and I promise—”

The door opened and Vlad was gone, leaving Danny’s heart pounding in his chest to a firm, steady rhythm. Jaz came over with the food and Danny tried to be normal, smiling and nodding and eating what she’d brought…but no matter what, Danny couldn’t get Vlad’s words from his head, or his taste from his mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *le gasp* is this an update??
> 
> Again, sorry for never sticking to my update schedule, school and work has really been kicking my butt but I'm still working on it, don't you worry! I'm going to try to have my updates once a week but if not, just be a little patient~
> 
> Thank you all so much for your continued support, kudos and comments, they're always a help to push me in my writing! ^^ I really appreciate it!
> 
> Till next time~


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "If the only prayer you say in  
> your whole life is "Thank you,"  
> that would suffice."
> 
> \- Johannes Meister Eckhart

Danny stood outside the large mansion, the exterior just as grand, expensive and pristine as the man who owned it.

Danny wrung his hands, fingers twisting and gripping as he silently debated with himself before the hard wood door.

The past week had been hell, more so than any other week lately. Danny used to fear the attacks from demons and spirits, the sudden risk of danger, the insistent panic of having them grabbing for his wings…

Now, Danny _knew_ the pain that would follow should any other demon or spirit get close enough to do it again.

Now, Danny wondered if there were any feathers remaining to even _steal,_ or if he was left with only charred extensions where something so beautiful had been.

Now, he had the guilt mixed in with this strange desire, manifested from his time spent with Vlad.

Danny avoided using his powers. Thankfully, it seemed the Mark was keeping spirits and demons away from him, because there were minimal issues with them. The few times they actually _did_ show up, Danny had been with his friends at his home. They had both looked to him expectantly, apparently waiting for him to stand and fight in a grand display of heroism, but as Danny hesitated, his parents’ had apparently caught wind of the demonic presence because they had charged, weapons blazing. Danny had felt relief swell inside him, but half wondered why Jack and Maddie never seemed to sense when a certain half demon was always making himself at home every week.

Every night, Danny tossed and turned, nightmares of pain and flames jolting him. He spent the week half exhausted, pretending to have been up late studying and doing homework, or more realistically, playing a new game.

But Danny couldn’t take it anymore. The fear and guilt were eating at him. Sunday morning, Danny descended the stairs of his home earlier than usual, dressed in jeans and a hoodie to see his parents still in pajamas drinking coffee over a table full of notes and blueprints.

“Morning Danny. You’re up early,” his mother greeted, with a grin too bright for this early in the morning. “We’ll start getting ready for church in half an hour, we just wanted to finalize some—”

“You don’t have to. I’m not gonna go to church anymore,” Danny said. His father looked relieved but his mother looked a bit concerned.

“I know you mentioned that last week, but I hadn’t been sure if you were serious. Any reason why not, you seemed to like it a lot?”

Danny shook his head, heading for the front door. “Nah, it’s just not for me. I’ll see you guys later though, going to go meet up with Sam and Tucker at the library.”

Danny had avoided the path that took him by the church, instead going the long way through Amity Park, treading slowly until he now stood outside the elaborate and flaunting Masters’ Manor, the early morning air crisp and the sky still a soft faded blue. Everything was just beginning to wake. Danny wondered if it was too early, but he couldn’t wait any longer.

He raised his hand and knocked loudly before he could convince himself not to.

He waited, the house quiet. He waited a little longer before knocking again, harder. Nothing. Danny’s leg bounced, the waiting causing his nerves to spike. He looked behind him every few moments, the paranoia that had been crawling inside him since the attack beginning to rise again as he stood in the open, alone. _Come on, old man. I thought all adults wake at like 6 in the morning._

Danny raised his hand to knock impatiently once more, but the large wooden door swung open abruptly, causing Danny to jump. Vlad stood in the doorway, imposing in his height. He looked as put together as ever, as though he’d been awake for hours. Or as though he never even slept.

“Daniel?” Vlad asked; his tone didn’t sound _too_ surprised. He tilted his head slightly. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Danny hadn’t seen Vlad since that day he’d appeared in Danny’s bedroom. The demon had been keeping his distance for some reason, and that alone had also been messing with the angel’s head. Standing before the man now, something within Danny urged him to move forward, into the home, into Vlad’s arms and hope the demon would keep away the fear and monsters, like he has been doing since the beginning.

“I’m going crazy,” Danny said with a miserable, half desperate expression, having no patience for subtlety in this moment. Vlad barked a soft laugh and Danny exclaimed, “I’m serious! I don’t know what to do anymore! I can’t sleep, I can barely eat, my friends probably think I’m going crazy too, and I just hate lying to them, but I don’t know what to say and—”

Vlad held up a hand. “Calm down, Daniel.” The man stepped back, opening the door a little wider. “Come in, stop making a ruckus on my front porch. We can talk more inside.”

Danny hurried inside, the door clicking shut behind him. Inside, everything felt warm, and instead of that trapped sensation he’d felt last time, Danny felt…peace. He felt what he used to feel in the church; his problems melting away, all the troubling thoughts quieting, all the anxiety fizzling down. Vlad just held himself in so much control, he spoke with such confidence that it helped Danny to relax. Maybe it was because he had been so intimate with the man, spent the night here that he felt it was a familiar space. Whatever it was, Danny was grateful.

“So, what exactly is the problem?” Vlad inquired, his voice casual as though they were discussing a homework assignment Danny was struggling with.

“I can’t sleep,” Danny explained, fighting to keep his voice calm, focusing on one issue instead of the flood of them he’s been experiencing the past few days. “I’ve been having nightmares about what happened.”

“I hope you mean what happened with those rats and not with me.” Vlad smirked. Danny rolled his eyes, rubbing his forearm awkwardly. Vlad stepped closer, putting his fingers under Danny’s chin and lifting up. “Daniel. I’m glad you came to me.” Danny looked up, seeing the pleasure in Vlad’s dark eyes. Vlad leaned down, his warm breath on Danny’s lips as he spoke. Danny’s heart escalated and all his nerves sparked to life. “I can distract you. Come. Let me…put you to bed.”

Vlad’s mouth was on Danny’s and his reaction didn’t need thought this time.

Danny hadn’t necessarily come here for this, but he had been expecting it. It had itched in the back of his mind and he had debated with himself this morning before getting up on whether or not to come at all, because of this.

This intimacy. This intense physical action that had Danny’s head spinning like he was drunk, that Danny had found himself thinking about with a warm face when his thoughts drifted…

Danny wanted to let go. He wanted to stop worrying and fearing. And at least now, he knew what to expect. He’d done _this_ before.

He put his arms around Vlad’s neck, kissing back, allowing Vlad’s tongue into his mouth to taste and control. Vlad growled at Danny’s eager submission. His hands were immediately on the boy, grabbing him and lifting so that Danny yelped, locking his legs around Vlad’s waist instinctively. He toed off his worn sneakers, barely hearing them clatter to the ground before his attention was once again on the man before him.

There was something almost exciting about this. Danny felt lightheaded from the release of stress, an almost drunken giddiness as he fiercely kissed the older man, allowing himself to be carried through the house, up to the bedroom.

The thrill of doing this again, of giving himself so readily and easily to not only someone who was as old as his parents, but a demon who’s only plan was to consume his soul… It was dangerous and stupid but Danny had _control_ of this to some degree. He was _choosing_ to throw himself into this danger instead of it bursting through a wall and devouring him.

Danny kissed and bit, small whines pulled from his mouth between quick panting breaths. He was slammed against the wall of the bedroom, the curtains drawn, and they were alone in their own world of heated skin, muted groans, and wet breath.

Vlad ground into Danny roughly, the boy moaning at the hardness in the man’s slacks that was rubbing against own growing arousal in his jeans. The friction burned but he held onto Vlad tightly, pressing their bodies together, craving this physical proof of safety and life that the church had so disappointingly lacked. Sermons and prayers felt empty and hollow when he could find peace here like this, with his hands and teeth and tongue.

A hand moved up Danny’s chest, pulling off his sweater and t-shirt, a mouth searing every inch of tingling flesh. Danny struggled, trying to pull off Vlad’s jacket and shirt, craving skin contact. Vlad helped impatiently, managing to only pull off his jacket and tie before apparently missing Danny’s skin too much, his mouth going back to its feverish exploration against his neck and chest, leaving marks. Danny busied himself with pulling out the tie in Vlad’s hair, playing and pulling the silver strands as he groaned from Vlad’s hot tongue and sharp teeth.

This was different from previous times, less awkward and frightening, less a blurred experience and more of a race to _something,_ a sprint to the end where it seemed lay the thing Danny needed most. He didn’t understand it, but whatever it was was pulling Danny and Vlad together, molding them and Danny never wanted to come apart again.

It was a struggle, but Vlad managed to wriggle Danny’s jeans down just enough to expose his ass and dripping cock. Vlad unbuttoned his own pants, spitting into his hand before pulling himself out, rubbing briefly and then positioning himself.

Danny felt a twinge of fear at the lack of preparation and any actual lubricant, but Vlad’s hips thrust upwards, pushing in and the burn pulled Danny away from any thoughts until he was all nerves, his senses overloading.

Vlad wasted no time, ramming up into the angel in sharp hard succession. Danny’s thighs ached but Vlad’s hands came under them, helping to hold him as he was fucked into the wall.

It was rough and fast and deep and Danny couldn’t keep the litany of groans and whimpers that slipped out with each forceful thrust. He held onto Vlad tightly, nails biting into the fabric of his shirt. One of Vlad’s hands pressed to the wall by Danny’s head for balance as he cradled Danny with the other, picking up speed. The man groaned against Danny’s skin before biting the Mark. Danny shook and cried out weakly, body shivering uncontrollably and arching against the wall as he came harshly between himself and the demon, quicker than he thought.

Vlad continued for a short while and then came, that familiar warm wetness filling Danny before the uncomfortable feeling of it spilling down as Vlad pulled out. Vlad repositioned Danny in his arms, before moving backwards and placing the boy down on the bed, smiling at the sight Danny realized he must have made. Shirtless, jeans around his thighs, come between his legs and on his stomach, face flushed… Utterly fucked. And strangely, Danny felt the absence of guilt this time. A little bit of embarrassment as Vlad tucked himself in, the only evidence of their tryst on the man was the wildness of his silver hair, and lust in his dark eyes that roved over Danny’s body, hungry and sated all at once.

“I’m going to shower quickly. Go downstairs and find yourself something to eat, before we continue talking,” Vlad instructed, walking to the en-suite bathroom. Danny remained laying down, trying to allow his breathing to return to normal. Vlad returned only a moment later, standing over Danny and offering a damp hand towel. Vlad winked and then left into the bathroom again, closing the door behind him.

Danny sat up with a blush and wiped himself off quickly before standing, pulling his jeans and t-shirt on, leaving the sweatshirt on the floor for now. He heard the shower in the bathroom start as he headed downstairs in search of food, feeling strangely naked without his shoes as he explored the large house.

Vaguely, Danny wondered if all this was his angel getting corrupted. He didn’t feel the same guilt anymore. In fact, he actually sort of felt…excited. Finally all that anxiety was embedding. If this is what it meant to be corrupted…to no longer feel scared, or guilty…to have himself in control again—even if that control was now linked to a possessive demon—then Danny wouldn’t hesitant anymore.

“What was so great about being an angel anyway?” Danny mused to himself as he rifled through the cabinets for something easy to eat. “I couldn’t even beat those monsters. Besides, my parents seem to have a lot more fun handling them than me. They can take care of protecting the city. It’s _their_ fault spirits and demons were released in the area anyway.” Danny felt a twinge of shame at blaming his parents. He tried not to even blame them for the accident that somehow caused this to happen to him. It wasn’t technically their fault…even if they had been the ones to create the machine…

He pulled out some bread, finding ham and cheese in the fridge, with some other fresh vegetables.

“It might be kind of cool being a dark angel,” Danny tried to tell himself as he prepared his food. The smile on his face felt a little too forced though. _If that’s even what I’d call the thing I’m turning into…_ “Maybe I’ll get to learn new moves, like the cloning thing.” Danny’s smile turned a little more genuine. “And black wings seem way cooler than white ones; I’m sure Sam would agree.”

He licked some mustard off his thumb as he cut his finished sandwich in half, sighing slightly. The idea of his friends finding out was the only thing keeping Danny from just jumping head first into the inferno. He cleaned the slight mess on the counter before deciding to make a second sandwich. As a thank you.

Danny put them both on a plate and grabbed two water bottles from the fridge before quietly ascending back up the stairs, carefully balancing the food and drinks.

He rounded the corner and paused outside Vlad’s doorway, seeing the man in the process of changing. His back was to Danny, and the boy froze.

Two long ugly scars, symmetrical to each other, ran from Vlad’s shoulder blades down to the middle of his back…

Danny’s breath caught, but Vlad pulled a shirt over his head and down, instantly blocking the view as though it’d merely been a trick of the light covered by a shadow. Danny blinked, shaking his head before entering.

“Uh, hey. I brought you a sandwich too, in case you were hungry,” Danny said, keeping his voice neutral, a small smile forcing its way onto his face.

Vlad turned and smiled. “Ah, thank you little angel.”

…

After eating in the room and discussing more about why Danny came here, Vlad led him down to his own lab. The teen wondered if this had been some dream Vlad and Danny’s parents had all harbored in college; owning their own super-secret science lab where normal people would have a furnished basement with a pool table.

With the kind of money Vlad had, it wasn’t a surprise that his lab was much larger and more advanced, all kinds of high tech machines and technology lining the walls, computer monitors blaring everywhere and like his parents had, a large bookshelf with all kinds of journals, notebooks, and textbooks on all subjects from mathematics to demonology.

“I’ve always wondered…” Danny said, his finger tracing a particularly thick tome entitled _How to summon demons_. “How did you become half demon, anyway? Were you born this way?” Danny held his breath, waiting for the response. He stared at the book, his mind traveling back to his own story. He found himself speaking again before he could help it. “I’m not sure how it happened…but I had been in my parents’ lab. They had just built this machine. A portal I guess, to the Underworld or something. Heh, it’s ironic then I guess—I walked into a portal to Hell, and walked out part angel.” Danny shook his head. “I don’t understand it, but I feel like…the electric shock when the machine turned on with me inside it…it killed me.” Saying those words out loud sent a shiver throughout Danny’s body, his throat suddenly tight as a weight filled his chest. “But not completely I guess. Or maybe…I used to think—when I went to church—that God brought me back to life, for some purpose. That’s what I started to believe, that maybe he turned me into this for a reason. But…”

“You never found that reason. That’s why you’re here instead of wasting your time on your knees praying to a God that won’t listen.” Vlad stood beside Danny, and the boy looked up. “You realized you could be here on your knees in a much more _useful_ way.” Danny rolled his eyes. Were all demons this horny?

Danny raised an eyebrow. “So? What’s your story?”

Vlad shrugged. “Nothing as exciting as yours.” Vlad circled Danny, stopping behind the boy. He put a hand on his shoulder. “But to answer your question, no I was not born this way.” Vlad leaned close to Danny’s ear, a wicked grin in his voice. “I made myself this way.”

Danny felt a cold shiver run up his back, his thoughts spinning.

“Show me them.”

“Huh?” Danny said, looking over his shoulder at the man who was looking thoughtfully at Danny’s back.

“Your wings.”

“Oh, right.” Danny said, looking away. He closed his eyes, fear filling him slightly but he pushed it back with the curiosity of finally seeing. He felt a cool rush inside him, his hair ruffling gently as his power was released, his wings spreading wide behind him. He opened his eyes slowly, staring fixedly to the wall in front of him. He took a breath and looked over his shoulder.

His eyes widened slightly in surprise to see what he’d seen every day for the past month and a half, seemingly untouched. White feathers… large strong wings. No black, or missing patches…

He winced slightly, that strange ache still in them but dulled, like a headache in the back of the skull instead of between the eyes.

“Hmmm…” Vlad said, tilting his head slightly. Danny didn’t know whether to smile with relief, or be disappointed that he was still in the same position as before all this. He was still in danger.

He turned, spreading them, fluttering them grandly in the large space. A few white feathers fluttered to the ground. Danny looked at them curiously. “I’m shedding?”

Vlad chuckled, gently running his fingers over the wings. “Seems it’ll be a slow process. You said you haven’t had trouble this week. I’m glad they are all heeding my Mark’s warning, but as you’ve learned, not all will.” Danny shivered and nodded. “I will protect you though, Daniel.”

Danny’s wings spread wide as Vlad wrapped his arms around the boy, holding him securely. A cloud of black surrounded the man and his skin turned a sickly blue, dark eyes blazing red, grin full of menacing fangs. Danny shivered, not from fear, but something else. He knew he should be afraid; an angel having a demon this close, his fangs too close as he was caught in the grip of a beast made to be the embodiment of darkness…it was reckless and stupid, but Danny knew he was safe here, despite the madness of it. Despite _knowing_ that allowing the darkness to consume him would destroy something inside him. But if Danny never wanted that something, could he really be blamed? Danny knew in that moment, that he was not only willing to fall, but had indeed already jumped, and Vlad was here with him the whole way down.

The man moved Danny’s chin to the side so he faced Vlad. The demon smiled against Danny’s lips. “But… at least this means we can continue having fun _corrupting_ you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My roommate: I love being a math major because math is so interesting and useful and I love when a problem is hard to solve because then I have to work through it and numbers and cosine and theorem and GeoGebra and--
> 
> Me: @.@
> 
> *later*
> 
> Me: Okay so when you hear the word grin do you think of a big grin or is it the same as a smile because I feel like the word grin means a bigger smile but neither of these characters would "grin" in this situation but I also don't want to use the word smile twice because that kind of sounds off in the paragraph if there's too much repetition and--
> 
> My roommate: @.@"
> 
> Anyway, thanks all for the patience and comments, I really really appreciate it! And a shout out to cxasandt for the absolutely AMAZING fanart, it really made my day! :') 
> 
> Please enjoy the story, follow me on tumblr (xcrisscrossx) and tune in for the next update! (reviews are appreciated with comments, questions, corrections, critiques, etc.)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Important author's note): Its been a while since I last updated this story. I WILL be finishing it, but part of my absence has been due to my discomfort of the pairing.. I loved Danny/Vlad very much and in a way still do. I purposefully have not mentioned age in this story specifically because I'm allowing the reader to interpret it as they like, though of course Danny is still young and in high school. 
> 
> I would just like to say, obviously, that I do not support this kind of relationship or actions in real life. Fiction and art are mediums to explore these kinds of things without fear of social damnation or actual harm to others. If you have a problem with this kind of story, I advise you not to read them. Its not really happy or sweet like others, and I'm not trying to suggest this is healthy just because of how things may or may not end up within the story. I'm merely trying to create an enjoyable, emotional story with these characters.
> 
> I want to finish this story because a lot of you have been enjoying it, as well as I've put a lot of effort into it. I've reread the story (fixing some things up along the way) and I DO enjoy it. Its about sin, loss of innocence, manipulation, comfort, struggling with inner (and outer) demons. Yes its dark, and maybe disturbing due to the ages, but that adds a level to the story that I think is necessary for the characters. I still believe there's so much potential for Vlad and Danny as characters in general, so I'm going to continue writing for them, at least here, as a way to express myself and improve my writing.
> 
> So yeah, just wanted to get that all out. Grown adults having sex with underage minors (especially in this context with manipulation and no real affection) is in NO WAY okay in real life. Remember that.
> 
> Thank you.

“This stupid thing has been acting weird all week,” Tucker groaned, staring forlornly down at his phone.

“It’s all that illegal music you keep downloading,” Sam said with a self-righteous shake of her head. “Pirating leads to viruses.”

“I don’t understand how someone who’s supposed to be _against the man_ is suddenly so strict on following rules,” Tucker grumbled. “And besides, Danny does the same thing, and I’ve never heard him complaining about viruses!”

Danny shrugged, laughing as the trio maybe their way down the street towards Casper High. “Well in my defense, I no longer have a phone because of a certain demonic menace.”

“Oh right,” Tucker said, looking down at his cell again. “…you don’t think that its—”

Danny stumbled as what appeared to be a green net was suddenly tossed over him. A shock ran through his body and he was dragged backwards and into the air. His vision spun. He shook his head to try and focus upside down at what looked like a robot, but the glowing aura and eerie green eyes spoke to what this creature truly was.

“So _you’re_ the little half angel whelp that’s been getting all kinds of attention,” said the creature in a deep rumbling voice.

Danny struggled inside the net. “Who are you?” Danny demanded, his heart picking up speed at the thought of a fight. It had been nearly two weeks since his last encounter with demons and spirits directly. He had begun growing comfortable— _too_ comfortable it seemed. He was forgetting the real threat still out there. The reality of it hit him in the chest now, hard.

“I am Skulker, the Underworld’s greatest hunter!” the demon exclaimed with bravado. “I hunt and collect all creatures rare and interesting. And _you,_ my little _freak,_ are definitely both rare and interesting.” The smile aimed at Danny was terrifying. “You’ll make a lovely trophy in my—”

A loud metallic _clunk_ was heard when a large rock hit against the demon’s metal head, cutting him off as he looked down to the streets with a growl. More rocks soared towards him and the demon threw up an arm to block them.

“Let him go!” Sam’s voice shouted. Danny looked down to see Tucker and Sam throwing debris from the streets, Sam’s throws landing more often than Tucker’s. Danny grinned and looked to Skulker again, noticing his frustrations at them was distracting his attention from Danny.

“Intruding little brats!” Skulker rumbled. Danny took this opportunity to transformation, his wings bursting out and ripping the net. That got Skulker’s attention, but not before Danny got a good hit in, sending the demon back. Danny grinned.

“Ha! Underworld’s greatest hunter and your prey escapes in less than 5 minutes! Maybe you’re not as great as you think,” Danny taunted, an unfamiliar confidence suddenly swelling inside him, the tension melting from his muscles. Perhaps it was simply adrenaline, or maybe it was seeing the demon frustrated from simple rocks being thrown by his friends, or it could be that knowledge still itching in the back of his head that he was never truly alone…that there was a very powerful force watching over him always, and Danny wasn’t thinking about God…

“Little whelp,” Skulker barked, his hand lifting. There was an electronic buzz and then an attachment appeared from his forearm, aimed at Danny, and suddenly shots were racing towards the angel, who managed to dodge most, using his wings to block the others.

Danny spread out his wings, noticing the movement cased a few stray feathers to fall. Danny winced at the sight, but pressed his lips together and focused on the demon before him. He gave a loud, fake yawn, attempting to keep his bravado up as to not let the demon see his worry. “Is this really the best that the _mighty_ Skulker can do?” Danny smirked at Skulker’s anger, forcing himself to stay calm and focused. He could do this.

“Uh, Danny?” Danny looked down at Sam’s voice and noticed Tucker’s phone suddenly flung from his hands. The two teens gapped, Danny watching from above as the device floated and glowed. Amorphous light oozed from the screen and Danny gasped when Technus’ laugh rang out moments before the being appeared.

“I’m back, baby!” the demon boomed with a large grin. He turned to Danny, chuckling in a way that sent Danny’s feathers ruffling. Danny backed away a little bit, only to jump with he realized Skulker was closing in behind him.

“Took you long enough to show up,” Skulker grumbled, not taking his eyes off Danny.

“Sorry, those firewalls were hard to maneuver through, but nothing the Great Technus could not handle!” the tech demon boasted. “And now, we have got the little angel.”

“Wait!” Danny tried, putting his hands up, no longer feeling as confident now that _two_ dangerous demons were before him. “You guys don’t wanna fight me! R-remember, I’ve been Marked!”

“Plasmius is strong, but he’s just a half demon. Separately, he may pose a threat, but I’m sure the two of us together can handle him,” Skulker said with a smirk.

Danny swallowed but tensed for the fight. He could do this! “Maybe. Vlad’s just a dumb demon after all.” Danny narrowed his eyes. “But not even _two_ demons can handle _half_ an angel.” The two demons didn’t look as intimidated as Danny would have hoped. They charged him, Danny pushing his wings forward just enough to blow them a few feet back, allowing Danny to rise higher away, enough to look and aim both his hands at the again advancing demons. He shot two blasts of green energy at them, but it only hit Technus, Skulker continuing forward with the speed and bulk of a freight train.

“Stay away from him! Danny!” Sam shouted, again trying to pelt the demons, without much effect.

Danny held out his hands to stop the demon, green energy forming in his palms but instead of rays or blasts, the energy morphed together, creating a wall of green that the demon ran into, leaving Danny unharmed. “W-what? How did I—?”

“Dude you made a shield! That’s so cool!” Tucker explained with a wide grin from the street.

Danny grinned too, amazed at his sudden new skill but the joy was short lived when he was grabbed from behind and slammed down onto the nearest roof. Danny groaned, quickly rolling to his feet and standing but it was too late. Technus was back on him in an instant, grabbing both Danny’s arms and pulling them hard, causing Danny to loose balance and stumble forward. Skulker quickly landed down behind Danny, taking hold of his wings from the base, making Danny briefly think of himself as the rope between two teams in tug-of-war. That was not a position he wanted to be in.

“Ha. This was easier than I thought,” Skulker said with unpleasant glee. “No one can beat the Underworld’s greatest hunter!”

“Yeah yeah, let’s just finish this!” Technus hissed, fighting to keep hold of the struggling angel. Danny spread his wings, trying to push Skulker away but the robot demon merely tightened his hold on the wings and Danny froze.

_The laughing of those little demons, holding him down, pulling, ripping, tearing…_

“No, no, let go! Let me go!” Danny demanded, hysteria building in his voice and his movements, but neither demon relented.

“Don’t worry little whelp…it will only hurt a lot.” Skulker’s grip tightened more, Technus’s hold on Danny constrictive on his arms, and Danny realized immediately what they planned to do. They didn’t just want his feathers; they wanted his wings.

Before Skulker could pull and before Danny could scream, a flash of pink was seen in the corner of his eye. Relief swelled in Danny, a physical reaction that shook him as Skulker’s grip disappeared.

It was instantaneous. Danny now _knew_ nothing bad would happen. That kind of knowledge, though, can cause recklessness.

A rush of adrenaline surged through him again, confidence brewing and he smirked at the demon in front of him, who suddenly looked less smug now that he no doubt saw his partner getting beat by a half-demon over the angel’s shoulder.

Danny threw out his fist, knocking Technus back. Danny grinned, energy buzzing inside him. The energy felt raw and overcharged, almost frightening in its sudden intensity. He needed to release it, and he knew _exactly_ how he wanted to do that. If these demons had been willing, and literally _moments_ from hurting Danny so severely, Danny knew he had no qualms in returning the sentiment.

Danny surged forward, grabbing Technus and flying up and then down, off the roof. They dived down, picking up speed, Technus trying to fight Danny’s hold on him, but in a second they slammed down to the cement road below, an explosion of dust and debris erupting around them. Danny raised his hand, green energy circulating in his palm.

He was tired of the fear, tired of letting these demons and spirits bully him, torment him; he was tired of everyone thinking they could push him around. He was tired of waiting for an answer, for a savior. He was tired of having to play the good guy all by himself. He was done!

Danny slammed his glowing fist into Technus’ chest. Everything seemed to freeze as Danny panted, not having realized his breathing had increased so rapidly. Technus didn’t move, his mouth open in a silent yell, his screen black eyes wide, Danny’s green fist buried in a body of circuits and wires that still seemed _alive._ A wind blew, blowing away the debris and dust and, as though he had no more substance than a pile of dry leaves on a windy autumn day, black specks like ashes blew from the tech demon. In a moment, the demon’s body was gone, blown away like the aftermath of a disaster, leaving Danny alone in the rubble.

Danny’s glowing eyes widened as he slumped forward where Technus had once been. He looked around him, expecting the demon to materialize elsewhere. He found Sam and Tucker staring at him with concern and fear. But the fear didn’t seem _for_ Danny…it was _of_ him. He looked and saw even Vlad looking surprised at what had just happened, Skulker pinned under the half-demon’s boot.

Danny suddenly felt sick. He noticed his wings were slumped to his sides, dozens of fallen feathers laying around him, stained from the ash and dirt of the ground.

Vlad snarled down at Skulker, a harsh, biting demand that the hunter never bother the angel again. When Skulker begrudgingly fled, Danny felt something drape over him, and a warmth touch his side.

“Come, little angel,” Vlad murmured, his arm wrapping Danny further into his cape as Danny stood on shaking legs, his wings dragging down useless on the cement, more feathers falling as he moved.

“Danny?” Sam asked, his friends hurrying forward. They seemed a bit less in fearfully shocked but still hesitant to come too close. It must have been that protective instinct inside them that told them to act when they saw their friend so close to the supposed enemy.

“What…what happened—what did I do?” Danny asked quietly, his voice barely audible, but he knew if he tried to speak any louder, his voice would reveal the panic beginning to stir inside him.

“Danny, are you okay?”

“Yeah man, what happened? What was that…?” Danny felt Vlad’s grip tighten a little more, felt himself pulled subtly closer to the demon’s side. Sam’s concern turned to suspicion as she turned her purple eyes to Vlad.  

Danny shook his head, looking at his friends. “I…I’m not sure. I’m gonna go with Vlad, we need to…”

“Go with _him?_ Now? What—No, Danny what are you talking about?”

“Its fine, Sam, really. Vlad’s not the real enemy, we’ve…talked—”

“Danny, I don’t get it,” Sam said, stepping forward, reaching out as though to take Danny’s hand and pull him from Vlad. Vlad wrapped Danny in his cloak and spoke.

“I’m not the one out to hurt, Daniel. I’m the only one protecting him.”

Danny was pulled to Vlad’s chest. The boy felt a rush of air and when he pulled away, he saw they were in Vlad’s home. Danny shivered; he sometimes forgot the power this demon hid.

“What did I do?” Danny asked, trying and failing to keep his voice from trembling, the reality setting in as the shock began wearing off. He’d focus on talking to his friends later; if he thought about that now, he was sure he’d have a complete breakdown. “I-I didn’t mean to—he just—what did I—”

“Daniel, calm down—”

“Did I kill him!? I never meant to do that, I didn’t, but I was just so mad, and then I just—”

“Daniel!” Vlad’s hands grabbed either side of Danny’s face, forcing it up to look at Vlad, whose eyes were wide. He turned human, the black smoke clearing, revealing deep blue where red once was. Danny reached up, gripping Vlad’s hands on either side of his face, holding tightly as his breath came out in shaky pants. “I need you to focus. Breathe, look at me.”

Danny stared, trying to force his thoughts to calm, his heart to slow. His trembling body grew weak and a light shown around him, his wings vanishing and then his body faded as it became human once more. His breathing regulated. Danny closed his eyes briefly, swallowing once before nodding and opening his eyes.

Vlad nodded back, but kept his grip on Danny, who appreciated it. “You’re okay. You didn’t do anything wrong, Daniel.”

“But I—”

“Yes.”

“I…I killed him.” The words were whispered, like the women at church who used to mutter reverently into their clenched hands, head bowed deeply, as though one mustn’t speak too loudly about their own sins.  

“You did. I don’t blame you, and you shall not blame yourself. He was a demon, only here to hurt and take.”

“Like you?”

Vlad paused, his eyes too intense, searching. He smirked lightly. “Yes. I’m only here for you, though. To take that sweet innocence that so devastatingly plagues you.” Vlad’s thumb rubbed softly on Danny’s cheek. He tilted his head thoughtfully. “I suspect today’s events may have a great effect on those wings of yours. I wonder, after this, what push will finally be the catalyst to blacken them…”

“Some more sex might do the trick too,” Danny muttered quietly, his eyes still locked on Vlad’s, daring despite the apprehension in his voice. He smiled weakly.

Vlad’s smirk widened and he chuckled darkly.

It was hard and fast, Danny finding himself drenched in sweat, Vlad hovering over him, grunting and panting. It was rough and consuming, bites and bruises quickly covering all inches of Danny’s skin, and Danny clung to Vlad, begged for more, harder, faster. He needed to forget, to ground himself in the feeling filling him up, the smells of Vlad surrounding him, the taste of blood as Vlad bit his lip and consumed him. Danny wanted to be consumed, he wanted Vlad to take everything from him, his fears and doubts and sins. He wanted to be wrapped in the dark promises Vlad made and cast away the curse God has forced on him.

 

Danny woke slowly, the room still dark and quiet. He felt warm under the thick blankets and the body pressed to his naked form was hot. He closed his eyes, wanting to fall back into that blissful, thoughtless sleep. But like water on the shore, thoughts kept surfacing, lapping at his drowsy mind.

He lied to his friends. He endangered them. He had given himself over to a demon. He had skipped school. Lied to his parents, to his sister. Abandoned God. Killed…

Danny felt a sob bubble up his throat, eyes burning. He shook his head, carefully shifting to look over at Vlad. The man was asleep, his hair loose, his expression relaxed. Like this, Danny could almost forget what he was, could crave his touch and comfort as though from someone trusted and loved, instead of from some monster that Danny wanted to bury him.

A thought occurred to Danny, a memory from the other day. It itched at him mind, confusing and curious until, slowly, Danny moved his hand under the blanket to Vlad. He touched the man’s side, carefully, not applying much pressure. No motion. Slowly, agonizingly slowly, so as not to wake the man, Danny put his hand on Vlad’s lower back, the bare flesh warm, and then slipped it under the shirt. He tried to keep his hand off the skin, hovering just above, the dress shirt Vlad was still wearing bunching up at the angel’s wrist. When Danny’s hand hovered just above Vlad’s upper back, Danny lightly rested his hand on the skin, touching carefully.

He felt smooth, warm skin, muscles, and then something. Rough skin, raised. He followed it with his fingers, gasping slightly as he felt two long lines from Vlad’s shoulders moving down.

Vlad moved slightly and Danny wrenched his hand away violently, his heart picking up. Vlad merely groaned roughly, rolling onto his side and putting an arm around Danny, pulling him close and then remaining still.

Danny couldn’t fall back asleep, the memory of seeing those scars and now feeling them burning into his mind. The implications of what it meant blocked out all other thought, keeping him from rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I am SO SORRY that its been...like MONTHS since the last update! If you read the authors note in the beginning, that explains some of the emotional issues I was dealing with, but it also just got held up due to work, school and my lack of focus on just sitting down and WRITING! Your comments and kudos all this time though have been lovely and always pushed me to keep going, so thank you all so so much! It truly means a lot to me.
> 
> Also, I'm taking an Emily Dickinson class, and we read the poem "Hope is a thing with feathers" and I literally almost screamed cuz im like "HOLY SHIT, I KNOW THAT ONE, I FORGOT SHE WROTE THAT, THAT'S MY STORY, THIS IS A SIGN" and that helped kick my butt into gear lol. That, and all the religious and dark poems Dickinson writes, that girl is a huge inspiration, holy cow. But something interesting with the poem is that originally, it was written
> 
> "Hope" is the thing with feathers--
> 
> The word hope is not in quotes in the poem book I get all my beginning poems from, but originally it does. I found that interesting because that shows a sarcasm or cynicism in the word hope, which honestly changes the ENTIRE tone of an otherwise happy sounding poem. A bit fitting for this story, i think, lol
> 
> Anyway, thank you all for you patience if you're still with me. I can't make any promises on when the next chapter will be out, but it will come soon!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again everyone! Here's my new Danny/Vlad chapter fic, one I've been thinking about and working on for some time now. Its a much darker story than I've written before (not like super dark, but definitely not as fluffy as my last chapter fic), so its a whole lot of fun to write and hopefully fun for you guys to read! I'll be posting a new chapter every Sunday, something to keep me busy and active as the summer quickly trickles away. (sigh) 
> 
> Anyway, I hope this first chapter was interesting enough for you to leave me a little kudos and/or comment on what you think, questions, corrections, anything of the sort! Thanks a bunch guys, have a great rest of the week! See you Sunday! :)
> 
> (1) In case anyone is unfamiliar with the reference, Michael is a famous archangel in the Bible. He was the leader in God's holy army against Satan in the Book of Revelations.


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